Senate will not pass bill to send social media users to prison - Akpabio

The Senate Minority leader and lawmaker representing Akwa-Ibom North West, Godswill Akapbio, has assured Nigerians that the senate will not pass into law any bill with the aim of sending social media users to jail.

The former governor of Akwa-Ibom made this known via his Twitter handle, @SenAkpabio, stressing that free speech is one of the basic ingredients of democracy and that the senate will ensure it is protected.

“Dear Nigerians, go to sleep & stop worrying; nobody is going to send social media users to jail through the senate. It will not happen”.

“We will not be in the Senate and watch such a Bill fly. We are committed to deepening democracy and democratic values”.

“Free Speech is one of the basic ingredients of democracy and many of us will ensure it is protected”.

“What many of you don’t know about our Senate President @bukolasaraki is that he will never watch and allow such a Bill Pass”.

“There are many of us in the Senate who will never allow such a thing to happen to free speech in this country”.

“No one is going to pass a law in the Senate that will ensure social media users are jailed for 2years. You have my assurance on this”.

Recalled that Act to Prohibit Frivolous Petitions and other Related Matters, sponsored by the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Ibn Na’Allah, APC, Kebbi South generated reactions on the social media as many alleged that a section of the bill recommended two-year jail term for false publication on the platform.