Afe Babalola Kicks Against Hate Speech Bill, Says Nigeria’s Democracy Under Threat

The Founder, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Chief Afe Babalola, has opposed the proposed Anti-Hate Speech Bill, which prescribed death by hanging for those found guilty of hate speech.

Although sponsor of the bill, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, has said there would be a review on the bill, Babalola said the bill was an attempt to undermine democratic governance by taking away the people’s inalienable constitutional guaranteed right to freedom of speech.

Recall that the bill which prescribes death penalty for anyone found guilty of spreading a falsehood that led to the death of another person has passed the first reading at the Senate.

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The legal luminary, who noted that section 39 of the 1999 constitution explicitly guarantees freedom of expression, said democracy could only thrive when people are given the free will to impart information and ideas without a modicum of restrictions.

Speaking at ABUAD in Ado Ekiti, the state capital on Wednesday while receiving an Award of Excellence bestowed by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ekiti chapter, Babalola said the provision of the proposed bill is antithetical to the principles and ethos of democratic governance.

He also noted that the sustenance of the nation’s democratic status is under severe threat and described the ‘obnoxious bill’ as undemocratic, dictatorial, and unnecessary.

He also added that Nigeria already has a preponderance of constitutional provisions and existing law to sanitise public expression space.

“I believe this is the beginning of dictatorship. There are enough laws like defamation, libel, and slander to deal with anybody who publishes falsehood against someone, and it comes by way of taking the person to court.

“So, there is of no need to making new laws to deal with somebody who publishes falsehood. There was no need whatsoever for additional laws to deal with that.

“Though, people are complaining because the police are not doing well by delaying prosecution of offenders.”

On the country’s judiciary, Babalola said nothing good could come of the temple of Justice in an environment where judges were being intimidated and harassed.

READ: The Intention of Hate Speech Bill Is to Ensure Nigeria Remains United – Sabi Abdullahi

While noting that irreparable damage had done to the judiciary since the very day when the Department of State Services ransacked the houses of judges at night, Afe said o judge would give judgment against a government when he has the impression that his house will be searched at night.

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