….kill the bill or be ready to face your constituents-okoye
BY FOLUSHO ALADE,ABUJA
As reactions continue to trail the proposed ANTI-HATE SPEECH BILL, a LAFIA based lawyer, BARRISTER NZE OBIORA OKOYE has called on the Senate to kill the proposed bill forthwith or be ready to face their constituencies.
He noted that the said bill is ANTI-DEMOCRACY which is capable of frustrating the civilized democratic values currently enjoyed.
“The bill will, assuming but not conceding, be a law that will give birth to punishing any advocate of truth, it will suppress opposition in the country.my advice to the Senate is to kill the bill before it metamorphosis into law, otherwise, they too may be a victim,” he said.
“If passed into law will affect the fundamental rights of a common Nigerian. It will create a bias interpretation of laws in our country. As a matter of fact, the judicial interpretation will certainly be subjective and not objective.
“The bill will create legal crime in development of law and jurisprudence,” BARR. OKOYE stated.
The bill, sponsored by the Deputy Senate Whip, SABI ABDULLAHI, passed first reading on the floor of the red chamber on Tuesday.
It is titled, “National Commission for the Prohibition of Hate Speech (Estb., etc) Bill 2019.
The controversial bill has received condemnation from Nigerians from all walks of life including Abuja-based senior lawyer and activists, DR. MIKE OZHEKOME who said that the HATE SPEECH BILL was the most draconian piece of legislation.
Meanwhile, the former Vice President of Nigeria, ATIKU ABUBARKAR among other well-meaning Nigerians have also condemned the bill and urged the Senate to drop it with immediate effect.
Sunrisetimes.com.ng reports that SEN. ABDULLAHI had sponsored a similar bill in the 8TH SENATE, but it could not survive the second reading due to overwhelming opposition and criticisms from Civil Society groups and the media.
