Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana has asked the National Assembly to make laws that will pronounce death penalty for corruption perpetrated by politically exposed persons.
Mr Falana while reacting in a statement to the hate speech bill currently debated by lawmakers described it as an encroachment on the legislative autonomy of the state governments.
A bill to establish a National Commission for the Prohibition of Hate Speech, sponsored by Senator Abdullahi Sabi, was introduced on the floor of the Senate on November 12 and has generated reactions across the country.
The bill proposes that any person, who commits an offence deemed as hate speech, shall be liable to life imprisonment and where the act causes any loss of life, the person shall be punished with death by hanging.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), explained that the National Assembly has no power to exercise such power because Hate Speech is not covered in the Exclusive Legislative and Concurrent Legislative Lists.
“Since we are operating a federal system of government the supreme court of Nigeria had declared in a number of cases that the national assembly lacks the constitutional powers to make laws outside its legislative competence, which are by implication residual matters meant for the houses of assembly of the states. Certainly, the hate speech bill is an attempt to encroach on the legislative autonomy of the state governments.
“However, it is pertinent to point out that the Penal Code and Criminal Code applicable in the northern and southern states respectively have made provisions for hate speech because it is a state offence. Hence, the house of assembly of each of the state has enacted laws against incitement, false accusation, sedition and criminal defamation.”
Mr Falana decried the move, urging the sponsors of the bill to uphold the decision of Nigeria’s founding fathers who created a constitution that guarantees freedom of speech.
“The decision of the founding fathers of this present constitution which guarantees freedom of speech which must include freedom to criticize should be praised and any attempt to derogate from it except as provided in the Constitution must be resisted. Those in public office should not be intolerant of criticism. Where a writer exceeds the bounds there should be a resort to the law of libel where the plaintiff must of necessity put his character and reputation in issue.
“Finally, while the leaders of the national assembly may want to advise the legislature in each of the states of the federation to review the applicable penal statutes to review the provisions on hate speech we are compelled to urge the few bloodthirsty legislators in the national assembly to amend the anti-graft laws to provide death penalty for grand corruption perpetrated by politically exposed persons to the detriment of development in the country.”
He added that even though the bill is sponsored by a member of the House of Representatives, it has been adopted by the Buhari-Led Federal Government.
He maintained that the constitutional validity of the Bill will be challenged in the Federal High Court if it is passed by the national assembly and assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari.

pls mod forward to front-page

They will only see it as hate speech....but they don’t mind death penalty for those that’s speak up against their corruption

falana u better be careful...the only place U have mouth is the court of law...and this government no send anybody ooo..they don’t even obey court order....so u are as good as dead

My worry most times is when these great and fearless minds like Falana are no more who would come to d rescue of d voiceless

Lai mohammed the minister of information and a mouthpiece for Buhari's government was on tv yesterday and he made it clear that thr social media regulation bill is coming to stay whether Nigerians like it or not.
The consultations with the media practitioners, Civil societies, NUJ, Bloggers, Facebook, twitter etc are just for formalities.

Buhari has given the order, and like he said yesterday to APC stalwarts, 'he can afford to be reckless in his second term as he is not begging anyone for votes'.

That social media/hate speech bill is coming to fruition whether you like it or not. The only people who can stop it are the legislators and they are unfortunately a rubber stamp of the Executive in this regime. They are hands-in-gloves with the presidency.
In Senate president Lawan's word 'Any bill Buhari brings or support is good for Nigerians'. You can't get a more laughable group of charlatans.

You all are in deep trouble, especially those of you who have nothing to offer but depend on a measly 30k job to defend the indefensible.
When I'm tired of this hellhole, I'll sell my assets and move abroad with my Ph.D.

Q

It can never pass... Buhari self won't support it

jlinkd78:
My worry most times is when these great and fearless minds like Falana are no more who would come to d rescue of d voiceless

No one bro!! Except the youth develop some sense and take back what is rightfully ours which is good governance. We need urgent and decisive action now.

The proposal will not even pass through the senate clerk before being thrown into the trash bin and if it does, trust the rubber stamp senate to rub it on the floor

That's great

LabDNA:
Lai mohammed the minister of information and a mouthpiece for Buhari's government was on tv yesterday and he made it clear that thr social media regulation bill is coming to stay whether Nigerians like it or not.
The consultations with the media practitioners, Civil societies, NUJ, Bloggers, Facebook, twitter etc are just for formalities.

Buhari has given the order, and like he said yesterday to APC stalwarts, 'he can afford to be reckless in his second term as he is not begging anyone for votes'.

That social media/hate speech bill is coming to fruition whether you like it or not. The only people who can stop it are the legislators and they are unfortunately a rubber stamp of the Executive in this regime. They are hands-in-gloves with the presidency.
In Senate president Lawan's word 'Any bill Buhari brings or support is good for Nigerians'. You can't get a more laughable group of charlatans.

You all are in deep trouble, especially those of you who have nothing to offer but depend on a measly 30k job to defend the indefensible.
When I'm tired of this hellhole, I'll sell my assets and move abroad with my Ph.D.

Very soon now to comment on troubling national matters one would have to adopt careful measures or else nah prison straight. This is unimaginable!!! Even in the developed world freedom of expression is guaranteed and allowed. Only a shithole country will say otherwise

since its not from the ASO ROCK CABAL its already dead on arrival and will not near our rubber stamp lawmakers pavement talkless senate house plenary itself, it belongs to the trash can

I'm waiting for the resident zombies to come defend the vegetable in aso rock.

mzBEAM:
I'm waiting for the resident zombies to come defend the vegetable in aso rock.

Do zombies have shame? You will soon see them talking nonsense.

You will see how NASS will quickly die the matter of this SM bill because what falana has just proposed will rattle them because that's truly what we need in Naija now.