Hate speech bill: Anambra state lawmakers reject death penalty for convicts

macfranc007 March 09, 2018 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Nigerian newspapers 24/7 Omotayo Yusuf

- Lawmakers in Anambra rejected the Hate Speech bill in the National Assembly

- They described it as draconian and infringment on free speech

- The lawmakers noted that it may be used against opposition

Some members of the Anambra State House of Assembly have rejected the bill that recommends death penalty for convicts of hate speech.

NAIJ.com had reported that the Hate Speech Bill which recommends death penalty for offenders has scaled through second reading at the National Assembly.

Independent reports that Somto Udeze of Ogbaru 2 state constituency described the bill as timely and necessary for the unity of the country. He, however, condemned the punishment by death to anyone guilty of the offence.

He advised President Muhammadu Buhari to withdraw assent to the bill saying it would be targeted at opposition if allowed to exist.

Hon. Romanus Ugochukwu Obi representing Orumba-North state constituency referred to “Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948 by Nigeria” which he said “provided that everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression."

He criticised the National Assembly for coming up with such a bill. Obi urged the president to send the bill back to the National Assembly for amendment.

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Meanwhile, an international media organisation, International Press Centre (IPC), advised the Nigerian Senate against going ahead with the passage of a bill now before it, which prescribes death sentence for Nigerians found guilty of ‘hate speech.’

Sahara Reporters stated that this was contained in a statement signed by the chairman of the organisation, Lanre Arogundade.

NAIJ.com gathered that the media group warned that if passed, the bill would crush the right of Nigerians to freedom of expression as guaranteed by the constitution of the country.

The bill, sponsored by Senate spokesperson, Senator Aliyu Sabi-Abdullahi (APC-Niger), recommends the death penalty for any hate speech that result in the death of a person. In defence of the bill, he said he sponsored it to correct the failures of existing laws. According to him, the existing laws on defamation and public conduct had failed to check hate speech among Nigerians.

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