The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has asked the National Assembly to have the decency of stopping its plan to gag social media users now that it is apparent that Nigerians, including President Muhammadu Buhari, are opposed to the ill-conceived legislation.
CNPP said the National Assembly should rather amend the Evidence Act to cater for the digital reality of the contemporary world instead of trying to criminalise criticisms on social media, which should be a civil suit for anyone who feels offended.
The conference further demanded that the Federal lawmakers apologise to Nigerians for wasting public funds in pursuit of a Social Media Bill meant to shield their actions from public knowledge.
In a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, the Secretary General of CNPP, Chief Willy Ezugwu said revelations since the obnoxious legislation first surfaced have proved that the members of National Assembly are desperate to gag Nigerians who are increasingly taking active interest in governance with the increased access to the Internet, mobile technology and social media.
The statement said the true intent of the legislation was exposed given revelations on social media about the shady history of those driving the bill. CNPP charged the National Assembly to immediately kill the bill now that President Buhari, in tune with the stand of Nigerians, has openly declared that he will not assent to a law that could engender dictatorship.
It noted that “people worldwide are already grappling with terrorism-induced restrictions on liberty and warrantless surveillance such that no country’s nationals deserve to also lose the basic right of freedom of expression. What the bill seeks to achieve is not obtainable even in the most repressive countries of the world.”
-Leadership
