The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) on Wednesday described as assault on rule of law the bill seeking to provide immunity for presiding officers of the national assembly.

The bill which enjoyed significant support from members of house of representatives passed second reading at the plenary session on Tuesday.

Mixed reactions have trialed the bill which was sponsored by Odebunmi Olusegun, lawmaker representing Ogo Oluwa/Surulere constituency of Oyo state, with Some of the lawmakers supporting the bill, saying it is needed to protect the legislative arm from “persecution”, while others kicked against it saying the country as more pertinent issues and that citizen will see such bill as self-seeking

Reacting to the bill in a statement by its deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP enjoined the lawmakers to desist from further legislative process on the bill.

It described passing the bill as an assault on the rule of law, the move is akin to shredding the nation’s constitution.

“Providing immunity for presiding officers against crimes of corruption is tantamount to ripping up the constitution. It’s a blatant assault on the rule of law and breach of public trust, ” SERAP said.

“The leadership of the House of Representatives must immediately withdraw this obnoxious bill; we will vigorously challenge this impunity.

“It is a huge setback for the rule of law that the same privileged and powerful leaders of parliament that regularly make laws that consign ordinary, powerless Nigerians to prison for even trivial offences.

“Yet want to establish elite immunity to protect themselves from any consequences for serious crimes of corruption and money laundering.

“Whereas countries like Guatemala has voted unanimously to strip their president of immunity from prosecution for corruption of our own lawmakers are moving in the opposite direction. ”

It warned that if the lawmakers were allowed to pass the bill, they would succeed in denying Nigerians their rights to make leaders accountable.

“This is an unacceptable proposition as it gives the impression that both the principal officers of the national assembly are above the law, “it said.

“If the house of representatives should have their way, this will rob Nigerians of their rights to accountable government.”