On Wednesday the House of Representatives Committee on Media and Publicity criticized the anti-social media bill proposed to the Senate by the Deputy Senate Majority Leader, Ibn Na’Allah.
On Wednesday the House of Representatives Committee on Media and Publicity criticized the anti-social media bill proposed to the Senate by the Deputy Senate Majority Leader, Ibn Na’Allah.
The chairman of the committee, Abdulrazak Namdas, noted his disapproval of the legislation during a State House Speakers correspondents dinner attended by President Muhammadu Buhari.
SaharaReporters has published several pieces covering public outrage against the anti-social media bill moving through the Nigerian Senate. On several occasions Senators, including Dino Malaye of Kogi State, have pointed to exposes published about them as justification for media censorship.
Mr. Namdas expressed his support for the ideal of freedom of speech and claimed that the House of Representatives would never enact legislation which would curtail this ideal.
The committee chairman acknowledged the role of social media in the electoral victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Mr. Namdas concluded his comments by expressing his solidarity with President Buhari’s anti-corruption efforts as well as the fight against Boko Haram.