Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association,NBA, and one time Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice for Rivers State,Onueze C.J.Okocha, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN,has come hard on members of National Assembly for wanting to enshrine immunity for house officers and to themselves.
Okocha who gave his legal opinion while speaking to journalists in Port Harcourt wondered if the so-called lawmakers went to the National Assembly to represent themselves or the people.
The legal luminary wondered what fear they are nursing to want to cover themselves under any immunity.
As enshrined in the constitution, lawmakers at the federal and state levels are covered by immunity on anything they say under the confines of the legislative chambers during session of legislative business.
“I have never seen anywhere in the world where house officers change the constitution to grant immunity to themselves. Their office is not as important as that of the President, the Vice-President,Governors and their deputies. Officers of National Assembly are appointed. Anytime any national officer of the Assembly is unavailable, other persons are appointed to sit. Does it therefore mean that those appointed for temporary purposes should have immunity.I wonder why the so-called lawmakers create privileges they are not entitled to.”
He asked that house officers should not be granted because the offices are not as important as that of the President, Vice, Governors and their deputies.
He cited example when Senator Sam Mbata was once appointed Senate President-Extempore. “Could Senator Mbata have been granted immunity within period he served?As for me,this is ridiculous”.