Abuja — As members of the National Assembly Joint Committee on Review of the 1999 Constitution get set for the constitutional amendment, a member, Hon. Paul Adah, has said the committee will oppose the removal of immunity clause from the constitution.

In a statement made available to THISDAY, in Abuja yesterday, Adah who represents Bekwara/Odudu/Obanliku Federal Constituency of Cross River State in the House of Representatives said: "We shall strongly support the position to retain the immunity clause for instance. It is believed that if this clause is removed, it will introduce many externalities and distraction to governance.

"You will agree with me that the politics we play in Nigeria is not with sincerity of purpose. The removal of the immunity clause will bring in a barrage of subpoena, which will affect the performances of either the president or the governor as the case may be.

"It is incomprehensible to say that retaining the clause will encourage misapplication of funds and other forms of corrupt practices as canvassed by a section of the public."

According to him, the committee would put other measures in place to control the excesses of the executive arm of government.

He listed other issues that would engage the attention of the committee to include the derivation principle, states and local government creation, Niger Delta and security.

On the creation of more local governments, Adah said: "Local government is the third arm of government, but it has not been given the desired attention. Over 50 per cent of Nigerians live at the local governments and over 70 per cent live in the rural areas.

"We shall not support full autonomy for the local government, but states shall have some control over the local governments, just as the Federal Government has over states. The local government issue would be done in such a way that the developmental question would be addressed."

Another issue which he said would attract their attention is the matter of excess crude account.

He said though he is aware that the excess crude proceeds are shared among the three tiers of government, but built in checks would be guaranteed to avoid a situation where the Federal Government would not operate a secret account without the consent of other arms of government.

The members of the committee, he said, would support an increased oil derivation fund, and that "this is one of the measures to ensure peace in the region and ensure development."

"What the people are asking is just 50 per cent. I think it is only fair," he added.