Death Penalty: APC Governor, Akeredolu Condemns Hate Speech Bill

Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu

The proposed capital punishment clause in the hate speech bill before the National Assembly has been condemned by Ondo state governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

The governor criticised the bill while delivering an address at the Biennial Conference of the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies (CPSS) of the University of Ilorin.

The governor spoke on the theme: ” Domesticating Sustainable Development Goal 16 in Nigeria: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions”

According to Akeredolu, people expressing their opinions on social and news media should not warrant death penalty. "How can I contemplate such law in this day and time," the governor asked. He said whatever people circulate on the social media will eventually fade away.

Going further, Akeredolu warned against gagging the free press. He said at no time should journalists be gagged from performing their statutory functions.

He said it is the courts and not the politicians, that should determine when journalists or the media house flouts the laws.

Meanwhile, recall that it was reported that no Nigerian governor is in support of death penalty for hate speech as is being proposed in the Senate under a bill currently being considered by the upper chamber, according to Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state.