The National
Publicity Secretary of the United
Progressive Party (UPP), Chief Ogbuehi Dike, has faulted calls for the removal
of the immunity clause from the Nigerian Constitution.
Dike made the statement ion Wednesday in Abuja.
“Immunity clause is neither here nor there, this is
because whether it is removed or not, it does not make the people affected to
change their attitude nor does it affect act of governance.”
He expressed his regrets that the law was only applicable
to certain people in the country at the expense of others.
Dike, however, called on the Federal Government to
strengthen the nation’s judiciary for efficient and effective dispensation of
justice.
“So taking away immunity clause will not do any good for
the people involved, not even the country as a whole.
“Even without immunity clause, some people still commit
serious offences and get away with them.”
The party scribe said that whether a public office holder
was investigated while in office or out of public service, if he or she was
found guilty, justice would definitely take its course.
Chairman of the
Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Mr Emeka Ihedioha, had
disclosed that the committee recommended the removal of immunity being enjoyed
by the president and governors.
He also disclosed that the committee did not recommend
creation of more states because none of the requests in that regard met the
requirement for state creation.
The committee, however, recommended granting of autonomy
to Local Governments Councils.
It also recommended independent candidacy in future
elections, a development many Nigerians lauded as a popular decision.
The committee, similarly, recommended that a person who
had lived in a community for a specific period of time should have the same rights
as citizens of the state.
The House of Representatives is now expected to harmonise
its recommendations with that of the Senate, ahead of the final amendment of
the constitution.
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