The House of Representatives has recently taken steps to reconsider its stance on two significant pieces of legislation. On Thursday, the House rescinded its decision regarding the second reading passage of a bill that proposed removing immunity from the vice president, governors, and deputy governors. This reversal followed a similar action on Wednesday, where the House also rescinded its decision on a bill seeking to amend the constitution concerning capital punishment. These decisions to withdraw the bills come in the wake of considerable backlash and are intended to allow for more thorough debate among lawmakers before any final decisions are made.

Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, the House leader, formally moved a motion during Thursday's plenary session to rescind the earlier second reading passage of the bill concerning immunity and to relist it for further debate. Deputy Speaker Benjamin Okezie Kalu, who presided over the session, emphasized the necessity of allowing lawmakers to engage in comprehensive deliberations on these sensitive issues.

The bill aiming to strip immunity from high-ranking officials, sponsored by Rep. Solomon Bob (Rivers PDP), seeks to amend Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution. The objective is to prevent abuse of office and promote transparency in governance. The proposed amendment aims to qualify the immunity conferred on the President and remove it from the Vice President, Governors, and their deputies, thereby curbing corruption, eradicating impunity, and enhancing accountability in public office.

Similarly, the bill to review capital punishment, sponsored by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Okezie Kalu and six other lawmakers, aims to amend Section 33(1) of the 1999 Constitution. This section currently allows for the deprivation of life in execution of a court sentence for criminal offenses. The proposed amendment seeks to remove the phrase that permits capital punishment, aligning Nigeria's laws with international best practices.

In addition to these reversals, the House has also passed for second reading a bill to create an additional local government area in Imo State, to be known as Ideato West Local Government Area. This bill is sponsored by Hon. Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere.

Furthermore, the House passed for second reading a bill to establish the Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Owerri, Imo State. Ugochinyere, who also sponsored this bill, emphasized the importance of education and teacher training institutions in national development. He noted that while the institution is already operational, it lacks the necessary legal backing, which this bill aims to provide. The bill seeks to formalize the university's status, ensuring it functions efficiently under a clearly defined legal and administrative framework that meets national and international standards.