ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The House of Representatives has reversed its decision on the second reading of a bill seeking to remove the constitutional immunity granted to the Vice President, state governors, and their deputies.
The bill, initially introduced to curb corruption, eradicate impunity, and enhance public accountability, had earlier scaled second reading. However, the House rescinded the passage, stating the need for further debate on key provisions.
In addition, the House also reversed its decision on a separate bill that aimed to abolish the death penalty in Nigeria.
READ ALSO: Bill To Remove Immunity For VP, Governors Passes Second Reading
On Wednesday, 42 constitutional amendment bills passed the second reading in the House, including the proposal to strip immunity from the Vice President and state governors.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, the House advanced another constitutional amendment bill that seeks to restructure Nigeria’s governance system by introducing the office of the Prime Minister as Head of Government while designating the President as Head of State.
This bill was among 32 constitutional amendments that progressed to the next stage.
Also among the bills debated was a proposal to reserve specific seats for women in the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly.
Vanguard reports that another significant bill seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to reduce the prolonged duration for resolving pre-election petitions.
It also proposes the establishment of pre-election tribunals to handle such matters and regulate the process of suspending National Assembly members from legislative duties.