In a significant move towards promoting accountability and transparency in governance, the House of Representatives has advanced 42 constitutional amendment bills to the second reading. Among these proposals is a crucial bill aimed at removing immunity for the Vice President, governors, and their deputies, thereby curbing corruption and impunity in public office.
This development is part of a broader effort to reform the Nigerian Constitution, with a total of 81 amendment bills having passed the second reading so far. Some of the notable proposals include:
- Amending Presidential Immunity: A bill to qualify the president’s immunity, while completely removing it for the Vice President, governors, and deputy governors.
- Separation of Roles: A bill to separate the roles of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, as well as the Attorney-General of a state and Commissioner for Justice.
- Citizenship Rights: A bill to grant citizenship rights to spouses of Nigerian women and specify the minimum number of youth and women appointees in government offices.
- State Creation: Bills proposing the creation of new states, including Ijebu State, Ife-Ijesa State, Tiga State, Orlu State, and Etiti State.
The Senate is also seeking to amend the constitution to disallow immunity in criminal matters for the president, vice president, governors, and their deputies. While these bills have successfully moved through the second reading, they were not debated during the session.
This push for constitutional reform is a significant step towards promoting accountability and transparency in governance. By removing immunity for high-ranking officials, lawmakers aim to curb corruption and impunity, ultimately enhancing the overall governance of the country.
