Immunity For Presiding Officers Of NASS In Order – Speaker
Dr. Ali Ahmad, the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly has applauded on Tuesday, September 6 the plan by the National Assembly to review the immunity clause to accommodate the heads of the three arms of government.
The 8th Senate
Ahmad said that the step is in order as this will shield presiding officers and their deputies from needless distraction.
He added that such move will ensure that those at the helms of affair will be able to deliver on their promises to the electorates, Today reports.
The Speaker in a statement through his spokesman, Sanni Abdulrahman, praised the development saying that it is in order.
He pointed out that if the president and his vice have constitutional immunity from prosecution, the same treatment should be given to the Senate president, Speaker of House of Representatives and their deputies. Ahmad added that the chief justice of Nigeria should also be accorded the same privilege citing that no arm of government is greater than the other.
The Senate president, Bukola Saraki is currently facing a 13-count charge over false assets declaration as governor between 2003 and 2011.
When he was arraigned before Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Saraki told the court that there was no false declaration of assets by saying ‘not guilty’ to all the counts.
If the bill for the inclusion of all heads of government scales through, the CCT will have to discontinue case till he leaves office.
Meanwhile, The Christian Association of Nigeria had kicked against growing calls from some sections of the country for the embattled Senate president to turn in his resignation following his trial.
The association noted that voters were aware that some politicians were corrupt before voting for them into various positions of authority and therefore warned against the sacking of those elected to serve the people.
NAIJ.COM
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