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#SayNoToSocialMediaBill: Twitter users call for death sentence for failed campaign promises
Nigerians on social media are raising their voices against a Bill for an Act to Make Provisions for the Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulation and for related matters 2019 which passed second reading at the Senate this week.
Some social media users claim the bill would clampdown on freedom of speech and would wage war against critics of government.
The Bill was sponsored by Senator Musa Sani (APC-Niger east).
While presenting the lead debate on the bill during Tuesday’s plenary, Sani said the bill was a 36-clause legislative proposal to provide for the prevention of broadcast of falsehood and manipulative contents using the internet and its intermediaries for transmission.
“It prescribes sanctions to offenders with a view to deterrence and the penalty for defaulters ranges from fine of up to N300, 000.”
Sani added that the bill also provided for the issuance of regulations dealing with the transmission of false statements of facts in Nigeria upon declaration.
Some Senators from the ruling APC and opposition PDP have thrown their weight behind the bill.
Two opposition Senators who have shown full support for the bill are Abba Moro (Benue South) and Elisha Abbo (Adamawa).
Coincidentally, these two lawmakers have, at different times, been at the receiving end of social media wrath over their past actions.
Moro incurred the wrath of social media users in 2014 with the ill-fated Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) recruitment test that turned tragic across the nation claiming about 20 lives with several other applicants injured.
He was Interior Minister at that time and his ministry supervised the test which turned tragic. This made him a subject of internet trolling for several months.
Moro and some former top officials in the Interior Ministry were also dragged to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly mismanaging N676 million being funds generated from the sale of the NIS recruitment form.
Abbo, on the other side, sparked an uproar on social media earlier this year when a video showing him assaulting a woman at an adult sex shop in Abuja went viral on the internet.
He is presently standing trial before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.
When the names of the two opposition Senators popped up as some of the supporters of the bill, social media users became more enraged that it is likely an attempt by the two lawmakers who fight back and gag the platform after they had both been on the wrong side of social media advocacy.
Senator Chimaroke Nnamani (PDP- Enugu East), however, opposed the bill, saying “In principle, I not only oppose the bill, I condemn it in its entirety.
“Section 39(1) of the Constitution that guarantees freedom of information and speech, there is a cybercrime act that deals with this issue and there are also laws that have to deal with false information; libel, slander.”
Tweeting with the hashtags #NoTOSocialMediaBill and #NoToHateSpeechBill, Nigerians took to Twitter on Friday to call for the withdrawal of the bill.
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A social media suggested that if the Senate proceeds with the bill, then it would also be good if it promotes a bill proposing death sentence for politicians who fail to fulfill their campaign promises.
He tweeted:
Can we also have a Bill proposing DEATH PENALTY for campaign promises that are never fulfilled? #SayNoToHateSpeechBill
— OPTIMUS?SENIOR?? (@JuniorEbong) November 22, 2019
Ifok David tweeted:
You loot public funds. I cry for accountability. You call it Hate Speech?
You use unlawful force to Victimize my kin. I shout in Pain and you call it Hate Speech?
You close border to unfold hardship on people. I cry in Hunger and you call it Hate Speech?#SayNoToHateSpeechBill— Ifiok David (MNIM)?️ (@ifi_david) November 22, 2019
Another user wrote:
The only way to reduce and stop “hate speech and fake news”
Is a Good and Peaceful Governance
Instead of a peaceful election someone would struggle himself into power and would want the masses (electorates) to keep quiet???#SayNoToSocialMediaBill#SayNoToHateSpeechBill pic.twitter.com/jphMxq1Hf5— Nigerian Washington??? (@oba_of_ph) November 22, 2019
See other reactions:
Elisha Abbo lacks the credibility as a leader, after a disastrous scene he created he still has the nerves to get up to say this.
If we were heading for success as a nation he should be stripped off his post and sent to jail.
Rather it’s the other way https://t.co/W9YTvypLku
— ?? The Crayfish Plug ?? (@OkparahOladipoG) November 22, 2019
Excuse me, do not for one minute assume that it’ll end with “social media”. After taking that, they’ll effect their RUGA plans, knowing fully well that you will not have internet to fight back. #SayNoToSocialMediaBill #SayNoToHateSpeechBill
RUGA is next
— Boudicca (@SamanthaVouPam) November 22, 2019
The present Senate already looking likely would be a tyranny supporters also and with the #SayNoToHateSpeechBill or false news bill as they called it having passed the 2nd reading shows the angle they are coming from this time #SayNoToSocialMediaBill pic.twitter.com/WFZ6U3rVnI
— ?? The Crayfish Plug ?? (@OkparahOladipoG) November 22, 2019
The truth is Almost all us only talk on Twitter and other other social media and now this Government is trying to take that away for us with this Social media act
Please #SayNoToSocialMediaBill #SayNoToSocialMediaBill #SayNoToHateSpeechBill #SayNoToCorruption pic.twitter.com/UPxtVR0Mdv
— Pepper Sneh ??? (@mac_shad) November 22, 2019
This hate speech Bill is gradually growing to become reality… Watched Lai Mohammed saying this morning that no matter the amount of intimidation the bill will be passed…
Tyranny uncut!!!#SayNoToHateSpeechBill #SayNoToSocialMediaBill
— Francis Ayo Lawal ( F A L ) (@ayolifecode) November 22, 2019
If the right to Freedom of Speech/Expression was gagged, the likes of Senator Abbo, Lie Mohammed, and even @MBuhari wouldn’t have been here today.
Our leaders should not destroy the every trumpet we gave them to air their views.#SayNoToSocialMediaBill#SayNoToHateSpeechBill pic.twitter.com/ah9eto3Din
— Savn Daniel (@savndaniel) November 22, 2019
Issues that should be attended to with speed is not what these lawmakers are after but how to shut up the citizens for speaking up their mind.. We are now captives in our land.. I #SayNoToHateSpeechBill #SayNoToSocialMediaBill
— The Hair plug (@Msmenalicious) November 22, 2019
Freedom of speech is the first pillar in support of liberty. It’s unfortunate some people will use that right to express views that we find disgusting & abhorrent, yet they have no less right to speak their mind.#SayNoToSocialMediaBill #SayNoToHateSpeechBill
— Forehead Model ? (@sinful_lola) November 22, 2019
We often think that villains are not smart, they are just intentional about how they want to go about inflicting misery.
Senator Abbo and his cohort are a pure example.
He lacks decency and honour #SayNoToSocialMediaBill #SayNoToHateSpeechBill— Dozie (@dumakadozie) November 22, 2019
Nigerians oh!!! We’re about to fully enter a dictatorship era, are y’all sure you want to be quiet about it? History repeats itself. Raise awareness now! Hopefully something can happen, we’re about to lose our fundamental freedoms #SayNoToSocialMediaBill #SayNoToHateSpeechBill
— jara (@Vans_Obi) November 22, 2019
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