The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, said Monday that the hate speech bill currently before the Senate would not be passed into law if majority of Nigerians were opposed to it.
The bill proposed by spokesman of the 8th Senate, Sabi Abdullahi, has generated so much controversies and opposition, especially from media professionals.
The bill has passed second hearing and assigned to a committee, awaiting public hearing.
But addressing journalists in Abuja, Lawan said: “The hate speech bill is not going to be passed without the desired public hearing.”
Speaking further, the Senate president said: “If you feel the hate speech bill should not pass, get people to attend the public hearing and make your case.
“The preponderance of opinion of Nigerians will determine the way the hate speech bill will go.”
The Senate President also called for total respect to the rule of law in Nigeria, in view of frequent disobedience of court orders by the present administration
Reacting to a question by a journalist who asked about the repeated violations of the rule of law by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, Lawan said: “It (rule of law) is something that we all have to adhere to.”
He said part of respect for the rule of law was to ensure that those suspected of criminal activities were taken to court but noted that they should be freed if they were not found guilty.
“If someone is not guilty of an offence, such a person should not suffer any undue consequences,” he added.
The Buhari administration has recently faced stringent criticisms from Nigerians and the international community over its disrespect for the rule of law.
The latest of such violations occurred when armed Department of State Services, DSS, operatives stormed an Abuja court to arrest an activist, Omoyele Sowore, who had been granted bail by a court.
Similarly, former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki, retd, and leader of Shi’ites in Nigeria, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, have remained in detention, despite court orders that they be released.
