Social Media Bill: PDP senators won’t disappoint Nigerians ― Abaribe

Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe has said lawmakers on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party would not lend their support to any legislation that would infringe on the fundamental rights of Nigerians.

He gave the pledge on Tuesday when members of a Non-Governmental Organisation, Leadership and Accountability Initiative paid him a courtesy visit in his office.

Last week,  a Bill tagged: ‘Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulations Bill, 2019’ which proposes a three-year jail term for anyone involved in the abuse of social media passed through first reading in the Senate.

It was sponsored by Senator Mohammed Sani Musa, representing Niger east.

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Senator Abaribe allayed the fears of Nigerians as he assured his guests that the Senate would not revive the dark days of military dictatorship under representative government. He, however, appealed to Nigerians not to undermine the rights of others.

He said: “There is no speed with which this Bill is being passed. The first reading of a Bill is automatic. We can’t make a comment on what is still on the first stage.

“What I can assure you is that this Senate can’t be a party to removing the rights of Nigerians under any guise. Section 39 of the Constitution talks about our freedom as citizens. The 9th Senate will not abridge your rights.

“I don’t think Nigerians who fought and paid the supreme price to entrench this democracy will easily give it away and make us go back to the dark days. Rest assured that when we get to that point, we will stand for the people. Every Bill that passes here must pass through the rigours to ensure that it protects the rights of over 200 million Nigerians.

“We have a plethora of laws that can be used to drive the question of driving a free society. While social media can be good, it can also be bad. I am a victim of social media.

“As much as there is freedom, yours stops where another person’s own starts. We urge Nigerians not to propagate falsehood or fake news. Our job is to guarantee the freedoms and rights of both sides.”

Leader of the visiting group, Nwaruruahu Shield, in his remarks dismissed the proposed bill as dangerous to free speech which he noted was an essential ingredient of democracy.

He further argued that there were existing laws to regulate the media.

He said: “It is imperative to note that there is an already existing provisions in the Nigeria constitution which defines in plain terms about defamation which states that: A defamation matter is defined in section 373 of the criminal code as a matter likely to injure the reputation of any person by exposing him to hatred, contempt or ridicule or likely to damage any person in his profession or trade by injury to his reputation.

“Seeing that Nigeria has more than enough laws such as the section 373 of the criminal code, the Cybercrimes 2015 Act and other existing laws, it has become obvious that what the sponsor(s) (covertly and overtly) of this bill seek to do is to gag the social media and dictate to us what we can say and whatnot.”