Ekiti Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has cautioned the federal regime over its categorisation of abhor speeches to act of terrorism, “This appears equally to a greater extent than or less other plot to quiet the opposition in addition to I brand bold to say that proverb the truth concerning the province in addition to its rulers cannot live on termed equally abhor speech.”
The governor, who defendant the All Progressives Congress (APC) equally the number i promoter in addition to beneficiary of abhor speeches inwards the country, noted that; “When the APC was looking for power, several provocative statements were made. Nigerians are nevertheless to forget President Muhammadu Buhari’s ‘the Canis familiaris in addition to the baboon would all live on soaked inwards blood’ abhor speeches in addition to the threat past times the APC to cast a parallel government.”
In a contention issued inwards Ado Ekiti on Friday, past times his Special Assistant on Public Communications in addition to New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose, who said he was totally against abhor spoken communication in addition to volition back upward whatsoever effort to curb it, added that it was of import to caution the federal regime on the danger inherent inwards the blanket categorisation of abhor spoken communication equally treasonable.
He said “even if the APC regime is sincere amongst its novel establish hatred for abhor speeches, the APC regime must kickoff apologise to Nigerians for beingness the number i promoter in addition to beneficiary of abhor speech.”
The governor counselled that rather than blanket criminalising of abhor speeches, the federal regime should embark on reorientation of Nigerians, peculiarly the youths on the consequences of abhor speeches to the unity of the province in addition to restore the confidence of the people inwards the government.
The contention read; “I wishing to limited job concern over the pronouncement of the Acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo that abhor spoken communication volition henceforth live on treated equally terrorism.
“While I am totally against abhor spoken communication in addition to volition back upward whatsoever effort to curb it, it is of import to caution the federal regime on the danger inherent inwards the blanket categorisation of abhor spoken communication equally treasonable.
“I brand bold to say that proverb the truth concerning the province in addition to its rulers cannot live on termed equally abhor speech.
“I entirely promise Nigeria is non beingness systematically returned to the colonial days when the police pull of sedition was used to jail many of those who fought for our independence or the era of Buhari’s military machine regime when the notorious Public Officers (Protection against False accusation) Decree four of 1984 was used to jailTunde Thompson in addition to NdukaIrabor, both of The Guardian newspapers for publishing what the regime termed equally false.
“Most importantly, going past times the APC government’s utilisation of the so-called anti-corruption produce out to harass, intimidate, arrest in addition to detain opposition figures, at that topographic point is no dubiousness that categorising whatever that is termed equally abhor spoken communication equally act of terrorism is unconstitutional in addition to an effort to gag Nigerians, peculiarly the press.
“It should hence non live on seen that since the utilisation of corruption to harass, arrest in addition to detain opposition figures is no longer fashionable, abhor spoken communication volition instantly live on to a greater extent than or less other musical instrument of oppression to live on used against opposition.
“The questions that must live on answered past times the federal regime are; what constitutes abhor spoken communication andwho determines it? Has the Presidency becomes police pull unto itself such that it is instantly the i to produce upward one's heed what is an criminal offense in addition to what penalty to live on applied?
“From all intent in addition to purposes, the Acting President pronouncement which is plainly non backed past times whatsoever legislation is an effort to render reasons for an impending clampdown on opposition in addition to Nigerians volition resist whatsoever effort to mortgage their substitution rights to liberty of appear nether the guise of abhor speeches.
“When the APC was looking for power, several provocative statements were made.
Nigerians are nevertheless to forget President Buhari’s “the Canis familiaris in addition to the baboon would all live on soaked inwards blood” abhor speeches in addition to the threat past times the APC to cast a parallel government.
“What tin live on to a greater extent than treasonable than these statements made past times President Buhari in addition to his party?
“It is besides on tape that during the 2011 election campaign, President Buhari’s inciting contention led to widespread violence past times his supporters inwards the North subsequently he lost. Over K people were slaughtered inwards mutual frigidness blood, including innocent National Youth Service Corp members.
“Therefore, fifty-fifty if the APC regime is sincere amongst its novel establish hatred for abhor speeches, the APC regime must kickoff apologise to Nigerians for beingness the number i promoter in addition to beneficiary of abhor speech.
“Also, rather than this blanket criminalising of abhor speeches, the federal regime should embark on reorientation of Nigerians, peculiarly the youths on the consequences of abhor speeches to the unity of the province acre the confidence of the people inwards the regime (at all levels) must live on restored.”