SAN FRANCISCO, May 17, (THEWILL) – The upper chamber of the National Assembly has finally taken back the controversial frivolous petition bill which seeks to impose harsh penalties for tweets or messages conveying statements considered untrue from a group of persons or individuals to an institution of government.
The Senate announced this decision during Tuesday’s plenary after the Chairman of its committee on human rights and legal matters, Senator David Umar presented his committee’s report before the lawmakers.
Umar, an All Progressives Congress, APC, member from Niger state, said his committee recommended the withdrawal of the proposed legislation, better known as anti- social media bill, based on the strong opposition to it across the country.
The bill, sponsored by Bala Ibn Na’Allah, an APC lawmaker from Kebbi state, had been thoroughly criticised by an active social media community that described it as attempting to gag free speech and abuse the rights of Nigerians as enshrined in the constitution.
The bill was described as vague with the intent to repress dissent against the government. Civil societies groups embarked on campaigns to stop the bill from being passed.
President Muhammadu Buhari had been reported as saying that the senators were on their own as regards the bill, stressing that he will not give his assent to any act that contravenes constitutional provisions.
This was as the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki had earlier assured that the frivolous petition bill “will not see the light of day”.
