CNPP to NASS: Death by hanging should be for corruption, not hate speech
The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has described the reintroduction of hate speech bill by Senator Abdullahi Yahaya Sabi (APC, Niger North), and its acceptance to be read at plenary of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a misplaced priority, saying the lawmakers should have passed an anti-corruption law that would make it a capital offence to steal public funds.
The CNPP in a statement by its Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu accused the Senate of allowing itself to be used as instrument to gag opposing voices, urging the lawmakers “to concentrate efforts on laws that will lead to improvement in the country’s economy and end suffering in the land.”
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“The bill looks so excellent to prescribe death by hanging for any person found guilty of any form of hate speech that results in the death of another person, but it would have been better to have an anti-corruption bill that prescribes death by hanging or firing squad for anyone found guilty of stealing public funds or asset.
“In Nigeria, because of corruption there are no drugs in the hospitals and many are dying as a result. There are bad roads everywhere in the country causing deaths of commuters because someone has stolen the money meant for road construction and rehabilitation.
“We believe that the hate speech bill is targeted at the opposition voices. It’s being prepared as a law for the final onslaught against perceived enemies of the government of the day.
“The current abuse of anti-terrorism law and law on treason by the executive arm of government at both the federal and state levels is a pointer to what the sponsors of the bill want to achieve.
“Today, journalists and activists are being remanded perpetually on allegation of terrorism or treason. Two cases for reference, the continued detention of the publisher of Saharareporters, Omoyele Sowore on allegation of treason and the incarceration of another journalist, Agba Jalingo by the Cross River State government on allegation of terrorism.
“It is gradually coming to the turn of political opponents with the reintroduction of the hate speech bill. The ruling party must know that it is dangerous to make laws that targets opposition because no political party will remain in power forever.
“We are totally against the hate speech bill as drafted. We will welcome death penalty for corruption by public servants, just as it is in China where the Federal Government goes to borrow money all the time,” the CNPP stated.
