Bulkachuwa loses bid to stop ICPC, DSS probe | The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News

Justice Inyang Ekwo, in his ruling, held that the suit lacked merit and dismissed it outrightly.

He said Bulkachuwa, being a lawmaker, ought to understand the implication of the statement he made on the floor of the Senate.

He 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.”.

The Bauchi senator also prayed the court to declare that without exhausting the internal disciplinary mechanism, recommendations and approval of the 9th Senate, no other law enforcement agent of the Federal Government, including the defendants, can invite any member of the Senate for questioning/interview

However, Justice Ekwo held that the utterance made by Bulkachuwa on the floor of the Senate on June 10 was not covered by Section 39(1) of the 1999 Constitution

The clear words of Section 39 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) cannot be interpreted to mean that a person can say anything he likes, he added

I, therefore, find that the speech of the plaintiff on the floor of the Senate on June 10 was a confession of an illegal act, and Section 39 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) cannot be invoked to cover such and I so hold,” the judge said