Lawyer Urges Senate To Stop Social Media Bill Deliberation

A human rights lawyer, Tope Akinyode, has called on the Nigerian Senate to halt proceedings of the infamous social media bill, which had passed second reading and is now at committee stage in the Senate.

In a letter to the Senate, Akinyode said, “We have written the Senate President and Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Opeyemi Bamidele, informing both of them to halt further proceedings on the ‘Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulations Bill, 2019’ because of its illegality.

"On the November 12, 2019, I filed a lawsuit with suit number: FHC/L/CS/2037/19 against the National Assembly, Senate President, Nigeria’s President and the Federal Government seeking an order of court to prevent the bill from being enacted because it offends the provisions of Section 39 (1) of the 1999 constitution as amended.

“My position is that the bill is repressive and difficult to maintain without a brutal violation of the citizens’ right to free speech.

“The matter was slated to come up at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, on December 2, 2019 but the court did not sit that day at the instance of the judge and the matter was adjourned. The court is yet to give an adjourned date.

"On November 10, 2019, I received a call from the Office of the Senate President wanting to confirm if I was the one who filed the suit.

“They also requested for the suit number of the case which they said was not legible on the face of the court process and I obliged them.

“In effect, the Senate President and the National Assembly are aware of the pendency of the suit. This position is further confirmed by the bailiff of the Federal High Court who deposed to an affidavit of service.

“However, despite the pendency of the suit, Senate has continued parliamentary proceedings over the bill.

"I wrote the letter to advise them against this lawlessness. It is settled law that once parties turn their dispute over to the courts for determination, parties must maintain the status quo until the final determination of the subject-matter.

“To act otherwise is regarded as “self-help” which the law frowns at.”

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