Like in March 2018 when the Hate Speech Bill was first introduced in the Senate but failed to get through to the third reading, as a result of public outcry against it, Nigerians are again up in arms against the bill following its reintroduction on Tuesday, November 12. The bill was reintroduced barely a week after the Senate reintroduced a bill seeking the regulation of the social media in the country.
Speaking with The Guardian, he said that parliaments across the world have identified hate speech as a new “threat that dehumanises and targets individuals and groups, and also threatens peace in a diversified society.
According to reports, members of the lower house of the French Parliament voted 434 to 33 to adopt the law, which is modeled after the German legislation that came into force in 2018. Sixty-nine members of the French Parliament, it was gathered, abstained.Meanwhile, Abdullahi has lauded the statement of the United Nations, which supported the Hate Speech bill but kicked against imposing death penalty on offenders.
“Above all, they still have an ulterior motive. We are beginning to hear uncomfortable story of third term. With people saying they can die for Buhari, you never know what some of these legislators will come up with. For me, it is an ill wind that does nobody any good including those who are proponents of this evil legislation. It is evil,” he said.
Nsirimovu said there was no denying the fact that Nigerians should appreciate the importance of social media as catalysts for development in the society, even as it has edified, instructed, admonished and raised the sensibility of Nigerians and inspired many reforms. He noted that it was a verified fact that without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom and no such thing as public liberty. In addition, he said without freedom of speech, there can never be a free government.
Ugwu stated that the passage of the bill would spell more doom on the country than even Obasanjo’s attempt to get a third term in office. Ugwu said: “It is unfortunate that at this level of our civilisation in Nigeria, all we are thinking about is how to stop people from showing indifference to policies of government. It is a primordial way of doing things. The issue of hate speech bill is something that cannot survive in Nigeria.
On the allegation in some quarters that the bill was meant to advance the third term agenda of President Buhari, he added: “Look, the man has said that he is not interested in third term. The executive did not sponsor this bill. It is not an executive bill, it is a private persons bill.“Buhari has said it over and over again that he is not interested in third term; it is unconstitutional. If he were interested, he would have started the constitutional amendment by now because it would take time.
Government should also make information accessible to the people. Its the only panacea to misinformation and hate speech.
Hate speech bill is a GAGGING law. Sole aim is to deny to SPEECH. Rather than respond with greater social, political and economic policy ENTREPRENEURSHIP, given the chronic failure of the dominant ideology of PERSONAL OPPORTUNISM, our ruling elite chooses to gag CRITICS. No Way!
Nigeria 🇳🇬 is the worst place to be on planet earth 🌎!!!
So, every idiot in the South East must be employed by Govt?
hello I need to contact you
Imagine this people proposing death penalty for mere hate speech but some few months jail term for looters of the national treasury. Misplaced priority.
Nope.Tweeting fake news is actually some people's 24/7 job
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