A bill seeking to grant immunity to the Presiding officers of the two chambers of the National Assembly and all State Houses of Assembly has passed second reading in the House of Representatives.
If this becomes law, Principal Officers of the legislature at the federal and state levels will enjoy the same privilege granted to the executive officers at the federal and state levels.
National Assembly Correspondent, Joke Adisa, reports that the bill is an attempt to amend section 308 of the 1999 Constitution as > amended and it is sponsored by Oyo lawmaker, Segun Odebunmi.
In his lead debate, Mr. Odebunmi, a former aspirant for the Speakership seat, argued that the legislature has suffered distractions which have had a negative impact on the quality of legislation.
He said immunity for presiding officers of the parliament is a sure way of protecting the institution.
The bill has already divided opinions among members of the lower legislative house.
Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila even threatened to resign if he will be a beneficiary of the proposed amendment.
The same bill was introduced in the 8th Assembly but could not survive the criticisms that followed.
Although it has scaled second reading, on the floor of the house, the fate of the bill hangs in the balance as it is tabled before members of the public, including professionals whose inputs will determine how far the bill will go.
