...NIGERIA SENATORS SHOULD STOP ARROGATING POWER TO THEMSELVES.
...SAYS THEY CAN NOT GAG NIGERIANS WITH "HATE SPEECH COMMISSION.
Where are we heading to in this country ?
What do we say of senate's approval of N10b for Kogi State two days to governorship election ?
How do we get good governance in this country?
This act of the senate has further proven us right that Lawan led senate and Gbajabiamila led House of Reps may just be rubber stamp legislative houses.No doubt,we have been vindicated.
The fight against Corruption is being threatened regardless of the efforts of EFCC and ICPC.
Our Constitution in Section 15 (5) equates abuse of office with Corruption. This means by extension,abuse of office is also a form of Corruption.
Why the approval of ten billion naira to Kogi State now? We are optimistic, the said money will be released to the state instantly.
It's not an overstatement that the present government and APC may eventually murder this democracy.
The essence of three arms of government is to keep each other in check.
The legislature and executive can not guarantee good governance if what they do between themselves is what Baba 70 of blessed memory called "arrangee" government.
How do one expect a legislative house that forfeits its independence to the executive to perform its oversight function?
A senate that has no concern for the welfare and feeling of Nigerians , that does not bother to debate or investigate the link between a minister and Al Qaeda and by extension Boko Haram, that does not debate how to truly conquer acts of terrorism in Nigeria, that treats disobedience of court order by executive with levity but occupied itself with how to hang and murder Nigerians through " hate speech commission"
As much as we at CCHR and CACOBAG detest capital punishment except in matters like murder , armed robbery, terrorism etc. We would have expected the senate to raise the issue of death sentence for corrupt elements , kidnappers , election riggers, Boko Haram members etc.,though we would still oppose it but for the senate not to think of anything other than death for Nigerians because of "hate speech" is shocking and an embarrassment to us as a people.
We wonder if the senate is conversant with the Iaws? Are the senators saying we don't have adequate provisions in the our statutory books to take care of hate speech ?
The senate should stop threatening us with death .They should be reminded that this life is ephemeral, everybody including the senators will die one day.
God did not create us to live for ever. Everybody has his or her appointed time. Many of us " challenged " death by fighting the military to submission as to have this democracy which the senators are enjoying and reaping from where many of them did not sew.
Many of them took cover everywhere while we were on the streets in the day and at night to have democracy.
Dying for the cause that one believes and dying for one s country is not only heroic but also Godly.
Nigerians will never keep quiet when we are being oppressed or misgorverned.
This government should be reminded that it got to power through "hate speech" against it's predecessor in office.
Many APC leaders, members and supporters employed several " hate speeches " either rightly or wrongly to have sympathy and votes of Nigerians.
Why is it now that the government that came to power as a result of several propaganda against it's predecessor is now afraid of "such hate speeches " it once employed to get the political power being used against the electorate that voted for it ?
To us at CACOBAG, nobody can gag Nigerians from speaking against any bad policy of the government and condemning those involved. Either it's called "hate speech " or whatever is not our concern. It could be regarded as anything.
Nigerians now understand better the need to know the pedigree of those to elect into various political positions.
Those that seek power to oppress and for selfish aggrandizement will do Nigeria and Nigerians no good.
No Nigerian should loose sleep over this provocative bill being debated by the senate. It's no issue at all. It's dead on arrival.
The Senate should first of all go ahead to amend Sections 38 and 39 of 1999 CFRN as amended for them to have the nonsensical and nauseating ",hate speech " bill passed into law.
Section 1(3 ) of our Constitution is express without any form of ambiguity.
Not only that , for some of the senators that are desperate to have the bill passed into law may say it's " simple and easy " to amend the Constitution. They must also go ahead to use their "power " to amend African Charter on Human and People's Rights as well as Universal Declaration on Human Rights.
Only then can they succed with the draconian law being proposed.
In their interest, they should not debate the bill further or else they should be prepared for recall by their constituents, legal battles in the court of law to declare the law a nullity and mother of all protests by Nigerians to seal the senate chambers.
We as electorate are their employers. They should not arrogate any power or superiority to themselves.
We hope wise counsel will prevail.
Signed.
Sunday Ilori.
For:CCHR
07080075038
ccrightsfighter@gmail.com
Signed
Toyin Raheem
For :,CACOBAG
08063141670.
cacobag@gmail.com
