Immunity for N/Assembly presiding officers’ wild goose chase — Don

A Professor of Political Science at the Lagos University (LASU), Sylvester Odion, has described the proposed immunity for presiding officers of the national and states assemblies “as a wild goose chase.” In a chat with our correspondent, the don said the National Assembly members already enjoy ample parliamentary immunity embedded in the legislative process. He […]

A Professor of Political Science at the Lagos University (LASU), Sylvester Odion, has described the proposed immunity for presiding officers of the national and states assemblies “as a wild goose chase.”

In a chat with our correspondent, the don said the National Assembly members already enjoy ample parliamentary immunity embedded in the legislative process.

He said any extension of that immunity to include protection from criminal prosecution should be rejected. He said even the governors who enjoy immunity in the constitution could still be prosecuted at the end of their tenure.

The don said the parliamentary immunity already enjoyed by the National Assembly members to discuss and speak on any issue “without restraint” is enough.

He, therefore, advised the National Assembly members to focus on issues of urgent national importance.

Also speaking, retired Capt. Tunji Shelle, a former chairman of PDP in Lagos and public affairs analyst, said the timing of the bill was wrong, describing it as a distraction.

He said this is not what majority of Nigerians expected of the National Assembly at a time “we are battling with insecurity, poverty and restructuring.  They have a lot of things to do.”