BEVERLY HILLS, August 19, (THEWILL) – The Ekiti state governor, Ayo Fayose has stated that the recent categorisation of hate speech as a kind of terrorism looks like another plot by the federal government to silence the opposition, describing the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, as the prime promoter and beneficiary of hate speeches in the country.
He claimed that several provocative comments were made while the APC was angling for power, adding that “Nigerians are yet to forget President Muhammadu Buhari’s ‘the dog and the baboon would all be soaked in blood’ hate speeches and the threat by the APC to form a parallel government”.
THEWILL recalls that at a security summit organised by the National Economic Council, NEC, at the Aso Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday, Osinbajo had disclosed that the Federal Government has drawn the line on hate speech, which it now sees as a species of terrorism.
In a statement issued on Friday by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka in Ado Ekiti, Fayose declared, “that saying the truth concerning the country and its rulers cannot be termed as hate speech.”
Pointing out that he was totally against hate speech and will support any effort to curb it, he stated that it was important to caution the federal government on the danger inherent in the categorisation of hate speech as treasonable.
“Even if the APC government is sincere with its new found hatred for hate speeches, the APC government must first apologise to Nigerians for being the number one promoter and beneficiary of hate speech,” he said.
Fayose advised that rather than blanket criminalising of hate speeches, the federal government should embark on the reorientation of Nigerians, particularly the youths on the consequences of hate speeches to national unity and restore the confidence of the people in government.
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