Social Media Bill: PDP calls for rejection, Oyedepo kicks

 

• Says Buhari’s govt worst in Nigeria’s history

 

BY OUR EDITOR

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has called on Nigerians to reject the Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulations Bill, otherwise known as the Social Media Bill, before the National Assembly and currently undergoing public hearing.

This is just as the Presiding Bishop of Living Faith Church Worldwide, also known as Winners Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo, has described the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, as the worst in the history of Nigeria.

Oyedepo spoke on Sunday while delivering a sermon at the Faith Tabernacle, Ota, Ogun State.

The PDP said its call was predicated on the decision by the senate to commence a public hearing on the bill, which, according to it, was “being pushed by anti-democratic individuals in the Buhari Presidency, who seek to gag Nigerians, suspend our constitutional provision of free speech and foist a dictatorial system on our country.”

The party said it was time for Nigerians to eschew all political, sectional and religious differences and unite against a bill “clearly designed to suppress and silence the people, emasculate institutions of democracy, particularly the media, take away the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech of citizens and turn them into conquered people without a voice, in their own country.”

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In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the main opposition political party said: “It is clear that this bill is part of the anti-democratic moves to further emasculate the 1999 Constitution (as amended) ostensibly as a prelude to foisting a full totalitarianism in our country, where citizens will no longer have the right to freely hold or support opinions.

“It is obvious that the reason for this bill is to suppress democratic rights and prevent Nigerians, the media, civil society groups, pro-democracy organizations, the opposition and dissenting voices from freely criticizing the atrocities, abuses, incompetence, corruption, security compromises, nepotism and general misrule that have pervaded the President Buhari-led administration.

“The frenzy to pass this bill further exposes the intolerance of the Buhari-led administration as well as the desperation to cover its atrocities for which it is mortally afraid of public criticisms.”

The PDP said it was worried that the Senate listed the bill for second reading even when Nigerians across board had rejected it.

According to the party, Nigeria already has appropriate laws guiding the boundaries of free speech and opinion, which the authorities can enforce within the ambits of constitutional provisions, in case of any violation.

“Our party insists that Nigeria is a democratic state governed by the provisions of our Constitution. Our citizens will therefore not allow any attempt by anybody to foist fascist laws tailored to suppress their rights and freedom as a people.

“The PDP therefore urged the leadership of the National Assembly to resist all pressure from enemies of our democracy to pass this unconstitutional and anti-people bill,” the party said in its statement issued Monday in Abuja.

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Bishop Oyedepo proclaimed the hate speech bill being sponsored by Senator Sabi Abdullahi as the most ridiculous bill anyone could think of.

The cleric said while the government was seeking to criminalise hate speech, those who kill others at will were left to walk free.

“The government in this country is making a draconian law – hate speech. They said if you speak hatefully, you have committed murder. Out of someone who says I will kill you and the one who kills, who has committed a crime? I don’t understand which kind of animal farm we live in.

“I said stop stepping on my toes and you said that is hate speech but somebody kills and he is walking free on the streets. This is the most stupid and nonsensical ideal anybody can think of.

“I said you are bad and you said that is a crime. Must I say you are good when you are bad?

“In my view you are bad and you shouldn’t be a leader. I have the right to say so. As far as I am concerned, I am a true born and thoroughly-bred Nigerian, an intelligent one. In my view this is the worst thing that has happened to Nigeria — this government. It is the worst and in fact it is like a curse.

“I have been here for some time and I led the first prayer and fasting for Nigeria in 1979. I am not a baby in the affairs of Nigeria. This is the worst government, a government with no direction. Their days are numbered. I can tell you as a prophet that their days are numbered,” Oyedepo prophesied.