Demands by some senators for immunity and life pension for presiding officers of the National Assembly after their tenure in office is self-serving and despicable.

The senators also want presiding officers, such as Senate President, his Deputy, House of Representatives Speaker and his Deputy to enjoy life pension and immunity, since the executive and judiciary are enjoying it.

Executive Director, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project,SERAP, Adetokunbo Mumuni who condemned the proposal by the senators, said granting senators and representatives immunity and life pensions would neither enhance governance accountability nor contribute to the betterment of Nigerians.

Mumuni called on Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara to show leadership and refocus the National Assembly to be able to perform their law-making functions in a manner that would rid the country of impunity for corruption and not embrace or tolerate it.

According to him, Nigerians will reject any self-serving attempt by the senators and representatives to tear up section 308 of the 1999 constitution to grant their leaders immunity from prosecution for corruption and money laundering.

He said Nigerians would also reject the despicable attempt by the senators and representatives to grant themselves life pensions, saying his group would pursue all legal avenues nationally and internationally to compel the senators to drop the immunity and life pension proposals.

Mumuni said his group was worried that the proposal for life pensions is coming from some ex-governors in the National Assembly that continue to enjoy ‘pensions’ for serving as governors for eight years, saying this was a gross injustice and double jeopardy for millions of Nigerian pensioners who continue to be denied the fruit of their labour in old age.

He said it was a massive let-down for those elected to make laws for the peace, order and good governance of the country to prioritise their own personal interests over and above those of millions of Nigerians who continue to suffer the effects of high-level official corruption.