Human rights activist, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), has said the hate
speech bill being considered by the Senate is an attempt to gag
Nigerians from speaking against the alleged massive corruption
going on in government circle.
Falana said the rearrest of the publisher of Saharareporters,
Omoyele Sowore, by the Department of State Services immediately
after a court-ordered his release was a confirmation of this
attempt.
Speaking in Lagos on Monday at the presentation of the third
edition of ‘Compendium of 100 high-profile corruption cases in
Nigeria, Falana, who is the counsel for Sowore said Nigerians must
take ownership of the fight against corruption in order to make it
successful.
It was organised by Human and Environmental Development
Agenda.
Falana called on Nigerians to monitor budgets in their local
government areas, states and at the federal level. He said it was
insulting for anyone to say Lagos State, with poor road network,
was working.
He said corruption had continued to thrive in government circles
because Nigerians were no longer holding public officers
accountable. He said it was impossible for any governor to think of
flying in private jets when there was vibrant student unionism in
schools, saying students would question such governors. He stated
that those in government now stole with impunity.
Falana said many of the public office holders looting government
treasury would not pass psychiatric tests because stealing the
amount of money they and their children would not be able to spend
was madness.
The human rights lawyer said it was unfortunate that those who
went to school free of charge in those days were the ones making it
impossible for children of the poor to go to school now through
policies and recklessness.
He said, “Don’t leave the politics of your country for
professional politicians without ideas. If you leave governance to
fools, you are going to be governed by laws made by the fools.
“In this case, you leave politics for corrupt people, you are
going to be governed by laws made by corrupt people. That is why
they want to silence you. They want to silence you so that you
won’t be able to ask questions.
“You can’t be producing books like this (compendium of high
profile corruption cases) this is hate speech. I am serious, this
is hate speech. hate speech is a reenactment of the sedition law
brought to Nigeria by the colonial regime.
“When you are charged with sedition, anything that will annoy
the government, truth is not a defence. Under Buhari’s Decree 4,
truth was not a defence.
“Hate speech bill is not about abusing somebody, it is about
exposing corruption, exposing injustice, exposing criminality and
exposing gross violation of human rights that is what they mean by
hate speech.
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Environment Minister Harps on Tackling Climate Change in
Madrid
The Minister of Environment, Dr. Mahmood Mohammad Abubakar has
called on nations across the globe to give the issue of climate
change the attention it deserves, stressing that it is a global
threat to world peace and development.
Speaking today during the side event organised by Islamic
Develop Bank on Climate Finance at the ongoing COP 25 holding at
Madrid, Spain, the Minister stated that:
“Every single nation, either in the middle of the ocean, at the
edge of the desert or in the middle of it need to do something
about Climate Adaptation, Mitigation, Resilient and Nationally
Determine Contributions in addressing climate change.
“There are common denominators in the Climate Change issue that
every countries across the globe must do something about, and
Nigeria is not an exemption. We have been very active in the
Climate adaption and we will continue to progress in this regards
to contribute to global efforts at ameliorating Climate Change
being the biggest threat to the planet at the moment.”
Furthermore, the Minister emphasised the commitment of the
Federal Government of Nigeria led by President Muhammadu Buhari not
to relent in its effort at realising Nigeria’s Nationally Determine
Contributions (NDC) stating that a lot has been done and much more
will be done.
Bemoaning the actions of developed countries regarding climate
financing, Dr Mahmood called on developed countries to fulfil their
commitment on climate funding particularly to African
Countries.
He said, “I share the sentiment of other African Countries of
not getting enough of Climate Funds. We are calling on the
developed countries who are also the major pollutants to fulfil
their promises of providing more climate funds to the developing
nations.”
Dr. Mahmood expressed optimism that Nigerian delegates to COP 25
will negotiate to get as much as possible of the climate funds as
they can bargain for, while at the same time be innovative to
generate its own green funds noting that climate financing is a
cooperation for global survival.
“We will aim as high as we can. This is something a lot of
countries are aiming at. It is a global cooperation for survival
because we belong to one planet. Whatever happens in Nigeria can
affect America vice-visa.
We will do whatever it takes in our own capacity to see that we
acquire as much as we can while at the same time be as innovative
as we can to generate our own green fund internally” the Minister
emphasised.
Saghir el Mohammed
Director Press
Federal Ministry of Environment