'Be patient with us', Senate appeals to Nigerians over Hate Speech Bill

The Senate has on Wednesday, November 13, 2019, called on Nigerians to be patient with it over the Hate Speech Bill, saying it would not pass any legislation that will cause them any hardship into law.

Senator Godiya Akwashiki (Narasara North), Deputy Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs gave the assurance while fielding questions from reporters in Abuja.

The bill, which was introduced on Tuesday, November 12, 2019, and titled; “National Commission for the Prohibition of Hate Speeches (Establishment, etc) Bill, 2019,” was sponsored by the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate and Senator representing Niger North, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi.

Akwashiki said that there was no cause for alarm over the bill, adding that it still has many processes to undergo before it could become a law.

He said, “We have a process of enacting a law or an Act, either in the State Assembly or the National Assembly and the process is one. A bill is just a proposal before the National Assembly.

“It has to go through three of four processes. Process number one is for the Bill to undergo first reading, whereby the Leader of the House would just mention it for first reading in the House.

“The second process that follows is the second reading of the Bill. The Bill has to be subjected to debate by other Senators and once that Bill scales second reading, it has to go to the Committee then come back to the House again.

“So if it is a Bill that will represent the wishes and interests, it would scale second reading. If it is a bill that would create hardship, or bring crisis for the people of a Nigeria, I want to assure that it will be killed on the floor of the Senate by other Senators when it comes for second reading.

“So I want to urge Nigerians to exercise patience with the Senate because it is not wise or legally right for me to discuss a bill that has not been mentioned for the second time on the floor of the Senate.

“It is just like you are trying to discuss somebody’s sickness when you have not approached a doctor. I want to urge you to be patient, when the Bill comes for second then you will know where the Bill is heading.”