Breaking News:SERAP Condemns National Assembly's Proposal

Senator Saraki and Ekweremadu.

According to Punch News report says the the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana (SAN) have condemned the proposed life pension and immunity for National Assembly leaders

SERAP, in a statement by its Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, said, the proposal “is the calculated use of legislative powers to alter the 1999 Constitution in their favour so that they can enjoy life benefits at the expense of millions of economically and socially-disadvantaged Nigerians who voted them into office.” It added, “Granting senators and members of the House of Representatives immunity and life pension would neither enhance governance, accountability nor contribute to the betterment of Nigerians.”

Speaking with Punch, Femi Falana said the proposal at a time many state governments were unable to pay workers’ salaries depicted high level of insensitivity. “The proposals for immunity and life pension for the principal officers of the National Assembly are insensitive, irrational and immoral.

 “Indeed, it is the height of insensitivity for legislators to propose life pension for their leaders at a time that workers are owed arrears of salaries in many states of the federation. “The proposal to confer immunity on legislators is provocative, to say the least. No serious nation can grant immunity to legislators who have been linked with criminal diversion of public funds, forgery and rape.

 “We can assure the concerned members of the public that the satanic proposals of the legislators will not succeed. It is pertinent to inform the legislators that the members of the human rights community have resolved to mobilise the Nigerian people to reject both proposals.” Also commenting on the issue, the executive chairman of CACOL, Debo Adeniran, said, “Those seeking immunity for some principal officers of the National Assembly are the same people supporting the weakening of the anti-corruption agencies

 “This is even coming at a time the Nigerian public is clamouring for the removal of the immunity clause that protects the executive arms of federal and state governments with a view to reducing the impunity with which corruption and other crimes are committed by them.” Adeniran said lawmakers seeking immunity are those who allegedly committed the worst form of corruption crimes and desire to escape justice adding that those asking for life pension for the National Assembly members as treasury looters.