A new bill that aims to take away the immunity enjoyed by Nigeria’s vice president, governors, and their deputies has passed a second reading in the House of Representatives.

The bill, sponsored by Solomon Bob, a lawmaker from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) representing Rivers State, seeks to promote accountability in public office. Since Nigeria’s return to democracy, these officials have been protected from legal prosecution while in office. If this bill is approved, they could be held accountable for their actions during their tenure.

Some of the notable proposals that scaled the second reading on Wednesday include;

A Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to qualify the immunity conferred on the president, remove the immunity conferred on the vice president, governors, and their deputies, to curb corruption, eradicate impunity, and enhance accountability in public office.

A Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to separate the offices of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Attorney-General of a state from the offices of the Minister of Justice of the Federal Government and Commissioner for Justice of the Government of a state.

A Bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to grant citizenship rights to spouses of women from Nigeria, specify the minimum number of youths and women that may be appointed into specific offices.

The bill moved forward during a plenary session on Wednesday, March 26. In addition to this, lawmakers are also considering other bills that propose the creation of new states, including Ijebu, Ife-Ijesa, Tiga, Orlu, and Etiti.

The progress of this bill signals a push for greater accountability in Nigeria’s political system. If passed, it could bring significant changes to how public officials are held responsible for their actions.