The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Masari has said that there was nothing wrong with the actions of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in challenging the immunity given to state governors by the const-itution.
He said that seeking the interpretation of constit-utional provisions is healthy in democracy, adding that the constitution ought to be clear on the immunity enjoyed by the president, vice president, governors and their deputy.
Alhaji Aminu Masari who was responding to questions from journalists in Kano said, “Area of immunity should be those areas that in my opin-ion, border on natural mistakes occurring in the conduct of our day to day activities. But where there is a deliberate criminal offence, then that is a different matter that should be looked into by the constitution.”
The Speaker added that immunity is necessary in certain circumstances like in the chambers of the National Assembly so that the pe-ople’s representatives can feel free to speak on any issue affecting the well-being of Nigerians without fear of being prosecuted.
He endorsed the pro-posed National Dialogue, sa-ying that there was no need for a National Conference or sovereign conference when the National Assembly exists.
“Dialogue on issues that affect the generality of Nige-rians has been going on for a very long time in the cou-ntry,” he added that the prop-osed dialogue by the pres-ident may serve as an imput on the National Assembly in tackling the problem of Nigerians.
“I think what it means is that if there is a consensus at the National Dialogue on a particular issue that req-uires the promulgation of law, then that proposal will be sent to the National Ass-embly for action. If there is need, based on the National Dialogue, to amend a certain section of the constitution, then those sections agreed upon at the National Dial-ogue would be sent to the National Assembly to use the constitutional means of a mending the laws. Masari added.
He, however, expressed the hope that the dialogue will be managed well because there has been a lot of pres-sure from people that their voices are not heard well thr-ough their party, repres-entatives and associations.
The Speaker said the success or failure of the dialogue will depend on its agenda because it is purely an administrative work of the president which he has powers to set up.
On the issue of non-impl-ementation of the moneti-sation policy at all levels, the Speaker. Alhaji Aminu Masari said members of the National Assembly may protest the non-implementation of the policy on ministers and other top government officials if the exercise is not implemented by 2005.
He lamented that mem-bers of the NASS have bec-ame guinea pigs in the monetisation exercise.
“Monetisation started with the National Assembly and from the look of things it seems it is going to end with us at the NASS.
We have been so monetised that we don’t even know where we are. If you look at other arms of gove-rnment, like the executive, ministers are still going with more than 10 cars, directors are still enjoying fleet of cars and permanent secretaries are still living in mansions all at the expense of gover-nment,” he complained.
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