U.S Official Meets Bill Sponsor Abdullahi – TheNigerialawyer

A POLITICAL Officer in the Embassy of the United States of
America (U.S.A.), Jerry Howard, yesterday met with Senate Deputy
Chief Whip and sponsor of the controversial Hate Speech Bill, Aliyu
Sabi Abdullahi.

Howard expressed satisfaction with the research the senator did
on the Bill, according to a statement from Senator’s media
office.

According to the embassy official, the visit was intended to
engage Abdullahi and seek an understanding into the proposed
legislation under consideration by the Senate.

Following explanations by the senator, Howard said he was better
educated about the Bill, reports in the media notwithstanding.

He advised the senator to engage and educate non-governmental
organisations (NGOs) and civil society organisations (CSOs) on its
proposed contents to muster support for the Bill.

Speaking on the decision of the U.S. Embassy to engage the
National Assembly on the Hate Speech Bill, Howard said: “We want
Nigeria to succeed and we think a prerequisite for Nigeria’s
success is successful democracy.

“For democracy to succeed, the people must have a house, the
people must have a place where their representatives can argue and
complain, come up with new ideas and come up with solutions to
guide the executive branch and lead the country forward.”

He commended the lawmaker for the level of work and research
carried out on the bill.

“I’m very impressed with the research you’ve done on the bill.
The media has had a field day with this, really.

“You’ve thought it through. I was depending on the media for my
education, and it was very misleading. You’ve done your research
and it is very interesting.

“But you have a difficult job selling this to the NGOs, CSOs.
You need to talk to them. You’ll need to talk to Civil Society
Organizations, you need to educate them. You’ve educated me,”
Howard said after the senator explained the bill’s contents.

On why he introduced the bill, Abdullahi said: “Part of the
reasons why violence takes place is attributable to discriminatory
practices.

“It is discrimination that creates the socio-political imbalance
that you see leading to a group feeling shortchanged and
marginalised.

“Discrimination is also another very serious matter why I
sponsored the bill. This bill basically is about preventing
discrimination and prohibiting people who incite violence.”

Abdullahi further stated that the bill’s introduction by the
National Assembly has the backing of Section 45 of the 1999
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

The Section states: “Nothing in Sections 37, 38, 39, 40 and 41
of this Constitution shall invalidate any law that is reasonably
justifiable in a democratic society; in the interest of defence,
public safety, public order, public morality or public health; or
for the purpose of protecting the rights and freedom or other
persons.”

On measures put in place to guard the bill against abuse,
Abdullahi explained: “An Independent Commission shall be
constituted and whose membership will be restricted to persons
without any history of promoting ethnic or religious causes, or
anyone with political affiliations.”

He added that the passage of the bill into law will address all
forms of discrimination, hostility and violence which are on the
rise in the country.

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