Anti Hate Speech Bill abuse of legislative process -Atiku

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has described the introduction of the Anti-Hate Speech Bill by the Senate as abuse of legislative process and called on the federal lawmakers to “stop the folly”.

The bill was tabled before the Senate on Tuesday by Senator Sabi Abdullahi who represents the Niger North senatorial distinct on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

If the senator should have his way, offenders would be put to death by hanging.

But reacting to the bill, Atiku cautioned those toying with the idea of the bill, saying the contemplation of such laws is in itself not just hate speech, but an abuse of the legislative process.

In a statement by his media adviser, Mr Paul Ibe, the former Vice President said that the bill sought to violate the constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of speech of Nigerians.

He urged those behind this bill to awake to the fact that Nigeria’s democracy has survived its longest incarnation, stressing that those that governed the country from 1999 to 2015 never toyed with these most fundamental of freedoms.

“It is prudent to build upon the tolerance inherited from those years and not shrink the democratic space to satisfy personal and group interests.

“Freedom of Speech was not just bestowed to Nigerians by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), it is also a divine right given to all men by their Creator.

“History is littered with the very negative unintended consequences that result when this God given right is obstructed by those who seek to intimidate the people rather than accommodate them.

“We should be reminded that history does not repeat itself. Rather, men repeat history. And often, to disastrous consequences”, Atiku said.

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last elections said the country has too many pressing concerns to be burdened with such legislative folly.

Atiku said, “We are now the world headquarters for extreme poverty as well as the global epicentre of out-of-school children. Our economy is smaller than it was in 2015, while our population is one of the world’s fastest growing.

“We have retrogressed in the Corruption Perception Index of Transparency International, from the position we held four years ago, and our Human Development Indexes are abysmally low.

“It therefore begs the question: should we not rather make laws to tackle these pressing domestic challenges, instead of this Bill, which many citizens consider obnoxious?”

Atiku tasked the lawmakers on the need to prioritise national challenges ahead of the whims and caprices of those who do not like to hear the inconvenient truth, adding, “Stop this folly and focus on issues that matter to Nigerians”.