Don’t pass anti-social media bill, PDP tells NASS

The Peoples Democratic Party on Monday urged the leadership of the National Assembly to resist all pressures to pass the anti-social media bill, which it said is anti-people and unconstitutional.

The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement called on Nigerians, including the media, organized civil society and all pro-democracy groups, to unite against moves to pass the anti-social media bill at the NASS.

He said, “The PDP said it is time for Nigerians to eschewed all political, sectional and religious differences and stand in unity against a bill that is clearly designed to suppress and silence the people, emasculate institutions of democracy, particularly the media, take away the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech of citizens and turn them into conquered people without a voice, in their own country.

“It is clear that this bill is part of the anti-democratic moves to further emasculate the 1999 Constitution (as amended) ostensibly as a prelude to foisting full totalitarianism in our country, where citizens will no longer have the right to freely hold or support opinions.

“It is obvious that the reason for this bill is to suppress democratic rights and prevent Nigerians, the media, civil society groups, pro-democracy organizations, the opposition and dissenting voices from freely criticizing the atrocities, abuses, incompetence, corruption, security compromises, nepotism and general misrule that have pervaded the Buhari-led administration.

“The PDP, therefore, urges the leadership of the National Assembly to resist all pressure from enemies of our democracy to pass this unconstitutional and anti-people bill.”