Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto on Thursday expressed concerns over the proposed fake news and hate speech bills saying Nigeria’s democracy cannot be operated like a military dictatorship.
He said the bill sets fear and scary impact adding that” the bill on the social media and hate speech is quite scary.”
Tambuwal made the remark in Sokoto at the ongoing of 15th Conference of All Nigeria Editors on the platform of the Nigerian Guild of Editors(NGE).
According to the governor” Draconian legislation has no place in our democracy. Nigeria must be returned on the path of constitutionality and development.”
While noting that the media occupied a special and top most position in the fight for the country’s independence as well the return of the nation to democracy as well in fighting the excesses in power positions it has an impeccable role of putting leadership at all levels on their toes and be account able to the governed.
Though, Tambuwal noted that the country was fast demonstrating commitment to finding solutions to the irking socioeconomic challenges .
He further noted that the emerging security challenges occasioned by conflict, banditry and kidnappings were continually holding communities in parts of the country hostage, adding that” there should be in place an urgent mechanism to holistically overhaul the security architecture which will further provide avenue for the economy to regain its grounds amidst dwindling resources”, he pointed out.
Tambuwal also noted that the media like other organs of development was feeling the heat of the harsh economic, assuring that sooner or later the difficult times would pave way for a prosperous and vibrant economy.
According riding to the one time House of Representatives Speaker” the media especially the radio and television will have to be repositioned to favourably and aggressively compete in the best manner of practices as a search light of our polity to renew the hope of citizens against the gradual erosion of our democracy tenets and gains as dividend of good governance.
In his brief but inspiring remarks at the conference hall of the Sokoto International Conference Centre, former Ogun state Governor, Chief Olusegun Aremu Osoba stressed the need to fight against all media abuses by non professionals just as he frowned at attempts to punish conventional media for the wrongs of non professionals on the social media platform.
” They are not part of us by professional practice hence , such laws should not be used to deny us our constitutional rights to practice”, the veteran journalist pointed out.
He therefore urged media practitioners at all levels not to allow the bill on fake news and hate speech see the light of the day, adding that” even if it will take lobbying to resist the move, I offer myself for he struggle against its passage. We are the members of APC and I belong to this noble profession constituency and will have to make it survive”, he vowed further.
