The House of Representatives has reversed its decision on a bill that sought to strip the vice president, governors, and deputy governors of immunity from prosecution.
The change came after a motion moved by the Majority Leader, Julius Ihonvbere, during the plenary session on Thursday, March 27. The bill, which had passed its second reading on Wednesday, was revisited and overturned the following day.
In addition, lawmakers also reversed their decision on a bill to amend the Constitution to review the death penalty for certain offenses.
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the plenary, emphasized the need for further debate on the bills, given the sensitive nature of the issues involved. As a result, the bills will be returned to the House for further discussions.
The ICIR previously reported that the House moved to strip the vice president, governors, and their deputies of immunity, a privilege enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.
The bill, which sought to amend Section 308 of the Constitution, had scaled its second reading on Wednesday, March 26.
Under existing laws, the president, vice president, governors, and their deputies cannot be prosecuted while in office.
This was not the first time the National Assembly attempted to revoke this immunity. In 2020, the Nigerian Senate approved a bill to strip these officials of immunity if found guilty of misappropriating government funds.
The bill was subsequently referred to the Committee on Constitution Review for further legislative consideration.
The proposal was part of a broader set of 42 constitutional amendment bills passed on Wednesday before being rescinded.