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Professor of Law, Sam Amadi, has said the now withdrawn Counter Subversion Bill was intended to be used in controlling Nigerians’ freedom of speech.
The Director of Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, Sam Amadi, said it was bad that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, decided to invest time in drafting a bill that cannot contribute to the economic development of the country.
Amadi noted that under the current federal government, Nigeria is de-developing and stagnating economically and politically.
He stated this on Thursday while speaking on AIT’s Kakaki show. He argued that the language of the bill was embarrassing just like the intention.
He added that the reference made to China in the statement released by the Speaker’s aide on Wednesday was the same reference made by Aisha Buhari, former President Muhammadu Buhari’s wife.
He noted that China’s law on speech freedom could not be likened to the draft of the Counter Subversion Bill, now withdrawn. He said the bill was worse than Decree 2 of former military president, Sani Abacha.
Amadi said, “I was a little bit surprised, but not too surprised. I think that the contents of the bill, not just the intention, if you read the language, were too overbroad, even though the whole idea of the bill is problematic in terms of clear attempts to suppress freedom, basic freedoms, not even high-level freedom, basic ones.
“I was surprised at the point of the language, that was so broad, not legalistic as expected. I mean it, things like if you embarrass a public officer, not just at the level of president, they said local government, community leaders, if you embarrass them.
“And I was looking at the language of decree two under the military. This language was much harsher, broader, un-inclusive than even Abacha‘s language. It was horrible. How would anyone on planet Earth in Nigeria today that is under two lock trap, the lock trap of development?
“Nigeria is de -developing. We are not even talking about developing. Stagnant economic, stagnant social political structure. So you needed to unlock development. Why would such a country, its leaders, focus on very broad control of speech?
“Even in China, you know, let’s not forget that the former president’s wife talked about China’s regulation of speech as a model for us when they’re talking about hate speech. Sorry, when they talk about the social media view last under Buhari. They don’t have a kind of language, embarrass public officials.
“So it’s tragic that today a Speaker that has an array of very competent professionals around him would put his pen, his name, to such very disgraceful language of a deal.”
The former Imo State governorship aspirant under Labour Party emphasized that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has been trying to impose authoritarianism on Nigerians. He said the bill was a response to the last #EndBadGovernanceinNigeria protest.
“Let’s not forget intentment, which is basically a reaction against protest. But the language was too broad. So I was surprised by the language and that level of dissent into very authoritarian language, even beyond authoritarians.
“I mean, some authoritarians are smarter and more restrained in the bill they bring, but this is unbelievable. But I wasn’t surprised, really, also because there’s been a trajectory. Unfortunately, the APC, a party whose name suggests progressivism, since 2015 has had this romance with authoritarianism,” Amadi added.
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