Femi Fani-Kayode
A former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has stated the
condition under which he will support the controversial ‘Prohibition of
Hate Speech Bill’ pending before the National Assembly.
The Prohibition of Hate Speech Bill is being sponsored by Senator Aliyu
Sabi Abdullahi, who was elected on the platform of the ruling All
Progressives Congress.
The very extensive bill covers a handful of possible wrongdoings,
including the publication or presentation of materials deemed to stir up
ethnic hatred.
The Bill also takes aim at written or visual acts seen as threatening, abusive, insulting or offensive.
It recommends that any person who commits an offence of the kind
described could be jailed for life; and if the actions are found to have
caused loss of life, the punishment can be death by hanging.
Taking to his verified Twitter handle @realFFK on Monday afternoon,
Fani-Kayode said he would support the Hate Speech Bill if its provisions
are made retroactive and if its first victims are President Muhammadu
Buhari, APC National Leader Bola Tinubu, Information Minister Lai
Mohammed, and others he also mentioned.
He wanted a promise that the public figures he mentioned would be the
first set of people to be hanged “for their hateful words over the
years,” after which he would support the bill.
Suffice to say, the clause recommending death sentence has, however, been withdrawn by the bill’s sponsor.
See the tweet:
I will support
the Hate Speech Bill if its provisions are made retroactive & if
its first victims are Buhari, Bola Tinubu, Lai Mohammed, Nasir El
Rufai, Festus Keyamo & Rotimi Amaechi. Promise to hang them
first for their hateful words over the years & the Bill gets my
support.— Femi Fani-Kayode (@realFFK) December
2, 2019