President Muhammadu Buhari has stated that he was not backing the anti-Social Media Bill being proposed by the Senate.
The Bill is being sponsored by the Senate Majority Leader, Senator Iba Na’allah.
Reacting through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, President Buhari has sworn to defend the constitution of Nigeria and would not lend his hand to anything that is inconsistent with the constitution.
Shehu said his boss “is not averse to lawful regulation, so long as that is done within the ambit of the constitution which he swore to uphold.”
“As a key component of democratic principles,” the President acknowledged that people in democratic societies “are so emotionally attached to free speech that they would defend it with all their might”.
Shehu explained that his principal is fully aware of the public reservations about the proposed legislation but assured that there is no cause for alarm “because the Senate is a democratic Senate”.
“The President won’t assent to any legislation that may be inconsistent with the constitution of Nigeria,” Shehu assured.
