Reps berates senator over social media gag law

The House of Representatives Committee on Media and Publicity has exonerated self from the controversial anti-social media bill proposed to the Senate by the Deputy Senate Leader, Sen. Bala Ibn Na'Allah, saying that the legislature will not do anything to close the space for free speech.

The Chairman of the committee, Mr Abdulrazak Namdas, registered his disapproval of the bill while speaking to State House correspondents after a dinner hosted by President Muhammadu Buhari for members of the House of Representatives at the State House Banquet Hall on Wednesday.

“As Chairman, House Committee on Media, I must say that we cannot close space for free speech.

“We would like to ensure that there is free speech. And the only thing we try to enjoin is that journalists, who are trained, who know the ethics of journalism, should also join the social media activity so that we can differentiate between the grains and the chaff.

“I think that is most essential, but we should not leave it for just those who think they can just post anything.

“Ideally, I think it is very important that we allow free speech. With time we will get to the level that we can regulate.

“For now I think Nigerians will rely on them.
“We came on the platter of change and it was this social media that brought us to power and we are making effective changes on that; I think we should live with that.''

-Emmanuel Ikechukwu
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