The National Assembly (NASS) Clerk, Magaji Tambuwal, has told a Federal High Court, Abuja that Sen. Adamu Bulkachuwa enjoyed immunity from any form of proceedings in respect of words spoken or written at the plenary session.
Tambuwal told Justice Inyang Ekwo in a counter affidavit filed in response to Bulkachuwa’s suit.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Bulkachuwa had sued the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), the NASS clerk, State Security Service, Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Nigeria Police Force as 1st to 5th defendants respectively.
The plaintiff asked the court to declare that he “is covered, privileged and protected by the parliamentary immunity as enshrined in Section 1 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act 2017 and freedom of speech and expression made thereto is privileged.
He also prayed the court to declare that without exhausting the internal disciplinary mechanism, recommendations and approval of the 9th House of Senate, no other law enforcement agent of the Federal Government, including the defendants can invite any member of the Senate for questioning/interview and or for any disciplinary purposes in relation to the plaintiff’s privileged inchoate expression/statement/speeches made on the floor of the Nigeria House of Senate at the valedictory session.”
Therefore, in his application marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/895/2023 and filed by his lawyer, Charles Yoila, the clerk averred that as at the time Bulkachuwa made what he referred to as the inchoate statement, “he still enjoyed all the privileges and immunities of a legislator under the Nigerian Laws.
Credit: The Nigeria Lawyer