The House of Representatives has reversed its decision on a proposed bill seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution to strip the Vice President, governors, and their deputies of immunity while qualifying the President’s immunity.
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who presided over plenary on Thursday, announced the House’s decision to rescind its earlier passage of the bill, citing the need for further debate and scrutiny of the amendment.
The proposed legislation, titled “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to Qualify the Immunity Conferred on the President, Remove the Immunity Conferred on the Vice President, the Governors and their Deputies, in Order to Curb Corruption, Eradicate Impunity and Enhance Accountability in Public Office and for Related Matters (HB.1664),” was sponsored by Solomon Bob.
The bill was among 42 constitutional amendment bills that scaled second reading during Wednesday’s plenary. It sought to amend Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution, which currently grants absolute immunity to the President, Vice President, governors, and deputy governors, shielding them from prosecution or civil suits while in office.
If passed, the amendment would have qualified the President’s immunity, meaning legal action could be taken against the President under certain conditions, while completely removing immunity for the Vice President, governors, and deputy governors, making them liable for prosecution while in office.
The House’s decision to rescind the bill has sparked mixed reactions, with some lawmakers and analysts interpreting it as a shield for corrupt leaders, while others argue that the amendment required more thorough legislative review.
While the bill’s sponsors argue that it would curb corruption, eradicate impunity, and enhance accountability in public office, critics believe that stripping sitting executives of immunity could expose them to politically motivated lawsuits and distractions from governance.
This development comes amid ongoing debates over constitutional reforms and governance transparency in Nigeria, with the National Assembly reviewing multiple proposals aimed at strengthening democratic institutions and accountability mechanisms.
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