Group slams Senate over controversial bill

Group slams Senate over controversial bill
The Online Publishers Association of Nigeria has
condemned the controversial Social Media Bill
being proposed by the Senate.
It added that the bill, which is strongly supported
by Senate President Bukola Saraki, is a threat to
democracy.
According to OPAN, the bill which is titled “Bill
for an Act to Prohibit Frivolous Petitions and
Other Matters Connected Therewith,” seeks to
gag online media by imposing a two-year jail
term for an abusive statement.
The bill also seeks to impose a jail term or N2m
fine or both if a person spreads false information
about a public servant through the social media.
The association, in a statement issued on
Monday by its spokesperson, Olufemi Awoyemi,
urged the Senate to have a rethink.
The statement read in part, “The entire board
and members of the Online Publishers
Association condemn the motivation, process
and purpose of the bill which passed its second
reading at the Senate in a record of eight days;
and is now set for a public hearing subsequent to
its being referred by the Senate President,
Bukola Saraki, to the committees on ICT,
Judiciary and Ethics and Privileges.
“We align with the Nigerian public in describing
this action by the Senate as pure idleness and
an abandonment of the electoral mandate to
focus on laws for good governance to ensure the
welfare of the people. The Senate is seeking
instead to restrict the scope of human freedom,
growth of new platforms of social interaction and
public accountability.”