7.6 C
New York
Friday, March 29, 2024

IBB Labels The Hate Speech Bill As An Eye Service Exercise By Promoters

Must read

Ibrahim Babangida, a former military president, has condemned the Hate Speech Bill, sponsored by Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, the deputy chief whip of the senate.

Babangida declared that nobody can muzzle Nigerians and deny them freedom of speech.

Speaking at his Minna Uphill residence on Thursday, November 28, 2019, while hosting the national president of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Christopher Isiguzo, Babangida said there was no basis for the bill because no one can deny Nigerians their fundamental rights.

“I am surprised that this bill has resurfaced. There is no basis for this now. We are developing; we should be allowed to develop. If we make mistakes people can be cautioned. If somebody goes off you have the right to call him to say, ‘no, we don’t want this,” the former Nigerian leader was quoted as saying.

“Unless people are able to express themselves, those in government or in authority will not know what is happening in the country.”

Describing the bill as an “eye service” by the sponsor, Babangida said the death penalty prescribed in the bill was “crude and wicked.”

He said: “If somebody makes hate speech, put him in the gallows and not shoot him. It is crude and out of tune with the 21st-century reality. It could have happened, maybe some 300 years ago, but not now.

The former Head of State promised to join the NUJ and other stakeholders in protesting against the passage of the bill.

“I am with you on this. I will also talk to those of us who could be in a position to bring sanity to bear on some of these things.

“if we had their type of media, I think they should be jailing you all by now.

“But today, the country is better for it,” he said.

More articles

- Advertisement -The Fast Track to Earning Income as a Publisher
- Advertisement -The Fast Track to Earning Income as a Publisher
- Advertisement -Top 20 Blogs Lifestyle

Latest article