Hate Speech Bill: Senate Disowns Abdullahi As Anambra Senator Vows ‘Total Rejection’

The Nigerian Senate has disowned one of its members, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, over the controversial Hate Speech Bill he recently sponsored.

The bill, which seeks death penalty for hate speech makers, had received widespread condemnation after it passed for first reading on the floor of the upper legislative chamber about two weeks ago.

Abdullahi, who is the Senate Deputy Whip, had equally earned backlash from Nigerians on social media for sponsoring the bill.

Senates spokesperson, Senator Godiya Akwashiki, on Monday, described the bill as a private member bill.

Akwashiki, in reaction to the widespread condemnation trailing the bill, said it cannot be called a Senate bill “but simply a bill sponsored by an individual senator who has the right to sponsor private member Bill which will have to go through all the necessary processes including second reading and public hearing for it to make headway”.

Meanwhile, the Anambra Central Senator, Uche Ekwunife, on Monday, vowed to “totally” reject the hate speech bill on the floor of the Senate when it comes up for second reading.

Ekwunife, in a series of tweets, said she had been inundated with calls and text messages, and felt inclined to address the public on the matter.

“First of all, I want to state that the Bill has not been mentioned for the SECOND READING on the floor of the Senate.

“In our legislative process, it is during the SECOND READING of a Bill that the sponsors of the Bill explain the objectives of the Bill, after which it is subjected to a vibrant debate by other Senators,” she said.

Ekwunife allayed the concerns of Nigerians on the controversial bill, saying the first reading of a bill is merely a proposal for the bill to be read for the second time and that the process is automatic.

“I can assure you that when the Bill is up for the SECOND READING, like all other Bills, the proposed Hate Speech Bill will be subjected to a very rigorous debate in the Senate Chambers,” she said

“It is at this point that all your anxieties and wishes will be brought to bear.

“I want to assure you that I and my colleagues at the Senate would never allow any bill which does not FULLY reflect the true wishes and interests of Nigerians to pass SECOND READING.

“I am aware that the provisions of the CYBER CRIMES (PROHIBITION, PREVENTION ETC) ACT, 2015 & other statutes already have provisions and penalties for hate speech & consequently, any other bill which seeks to regulate these same areas would be duplicitous & unnecessary.

“Furthermore, section 39 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, guarantees to all Nigerian citizens, a fundamental right to Freedom of Expression.

“Therefore, to the extent that this #HateSpeechBill seeks to abridge the fundamental rights of Nigerians, guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution, I’ll vehemently oppose it as being inconsistent with the Supremacy Clause of the 1999 Constitution as enshrined in section 1 subsection(3).

“I therefore urge you all to remain patient and law abiding, as I assure you that this #HateSpeech Bill, to the extent of it’s infringement to the fundamental rights of Nigerian Citizens, will be rejected by me totally.”