Nigeria’s Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has washed off his hands from the controversial Hate Speech and Internet Falsehoods and Manipulations and other related Matters Bill.
Lawan said in Abuja at a Luncheon/Media briefing on Monday that the fate of those bills hangs in the public domain, saying if the public is opposed to the passage of the bills, Senate would not act otherwise.
Both bills have scaled first reading on the floor of the Senate with attendant heavy criticism by the public, allaying fears that the media would be games, if there were passed into law.
Lawan stressed that it was left for Nigerians to decide if both bills would be passed, adding that the Senate would rely on the preponderance of their opinions.
.“Hate Speech bill, thank God, the Sponsor is here, and to me, the bill has a lining in Nigeria’s Democratic environment.
“Nigerians from all persuasions have one thing to say and this is what democracy is all about.
“Hate Speech bill is not going to be passed without the desirable public hearing, so we have the opportunity to be there with our arguments on whether we like it or not.
“The preponderance of opinion of Nigerians will determine whether hate Speech bill will be passed or not.”
Falsehoods and Manipulations and other related Matters Bill passed second reading, while the Hate Speech Bill passed the first reading in the Senate with both sponsors from Niger in North Central, Nigeria.
