Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja Branch, Mr. Onyekachi Ubani, has told lawmakers to enact reformative laws and forget the Speech Immunity Bill now before the National Assembly.
Ubani made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Lagos while reacting to the recent bill canvassing speech immunity for legislators.
He said legislators should come up with bills that would impact positively on the nation.
The lawyer described the bill as unrealistic, stressing that its passage into law would open floodgates of corruption.
NAN reports that the House of Representatives on March 7, deliberated on the bill, seeking immunity for legislators.
The bill is to ensure that lawmakers are not held liable or subjected to civil or criminal actions, based on either their utterances or decisions taken.
Ubani said the immunity sought by the lawmakers had no legal basis, adding that it was a "comfort- seeking" bill.
Ubani said, "The lawmakers are seeking immunity from statements made during parliamentary proceedings and to my mind this is neither here nor there.
"Lawmakers should concentrate on making laws that will impact positively on Nigerians who are suffering daily under the yoke of economic hardship brought about by the pervasive corruption in the system.
"It is my submission that they should pay less attention to their comfort and seek ways to enact laws that will effect positive changes in the country."
A Lagos lawyer, Mr. Yemi Candido-Johnson, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, described the development as a move calculated to ridicule the nation.
"There can be no support for this purported immunity bill whatsoever. It should not be allowed to come to light," he said.
Candido-Johnson, therefore, condemned the bill, adding that it had never been the practice of any civilised nation.
