Chief Charles Nwodo, former Chairman of the defunct Progressive Action Congress (PAC), has told the National Assembly that there was no need remove immunity clause from the country’s Constitution.
He contended that the legislature had enormous powers in their oversight functions to investigate what the President, Governors and others were doing and sanction them accordingly rather than removing immunity.
Nwodo made his views known during an interview in Abuja on Monday.
He stressed that the removal of immunity clause could disrupt governance and therefore advised those calling for its removal to desist from doing so.
He, therefore, faulted the House of Representatives’ bill seeking to remove immunity for the President and others facing criminal charges.
“So, there is no need removing immunity clause. These same people will come back as Senators and Representatives.
“Some of them are also celebrated and are being given one award or the other even though they are perceived as corrupt”, Nwodo added.
The House of Representatives had on Wednesday passed 85 new clauses to the 1999 Constitution (As amended).
They included the rejection of immunity for the President and state Governors facing criminal charges.
According to the new immunity clause, the President, Vice-President, Governors and their deputies will vacate office if convicted of any criminal offence.
A total of 339 out of the 360 members of the House voted to pass the clauses.
On immunity, 306 members voted to remove it, 17 opposed it, while 14 abstained.
However, the House retained four years as the tenure of office for elected officials.
