The President, Maj.Gen Muhammadu Buhari (retd), has expressed support for the ‘Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulation’ bill otherwise known as anti-social media bill.

The President said the bill, which is being sponsored by Senator Mohammed Musa, will not infringe on the rights of Nigerians but will in fact protect them.

He, therefore, asked a Federal High Court in Ikoyi to dismiss a suit filed by lawyer, Tope Akinyode, restraining the Federal Government and National Assembly from passing the bill into law.

Akinyode, who is also the National President of Revolutionary Lawyer’s Forum, had in the suit marked, FHC/L/CS/2037/2019, sued the National Assembly, the Federal Government, the President and the Senate President.

The lawyer contended that the bill, if passed into law, would be at variance with the constitution which guarantees freedom of speech.

However, in a written address in opposition to Akinyode’s originating motion, Felicia Des-Bordes, a litigation officer at Federal Ministry of Justice, who responded on behalf of Buhari and the Federal Government, said the National Assembly was empowered to make such laws.

Des-Bordes said in a supporting affidavit that she had been given authority by the Federal Ministry of  Justice to respond on behalf of the President and the Federal Government.

The response read in part, “We humbly state that the proposed bill above stated is not infringing on the fundamental rights of the applicant but rather reinforcing it and giving effect to it in the light of the societal evils and wanton infringement of fundamental rights of citizens by other citizens.

“We submit that the 1st respondent (National Assembly) is only exercising its constitutional right to make laws to safeguard and protect its citizens. This bill is in furtherance to the constitutional duty imposed on the 1st respondent by virtue of Section 39(3) A and B of the 1999 Constitution. 

“To this extent we respectfully submit that the cases of emergency, overriding public interest, public safety, unexpected, unanticipated circumstances that require quick actions can justify the passage of laws by the legislature. The members of the Nigerian legislature have sworn an oath to safeguard the lives and properties of every citizen of the nation.

“We humbly submit and contend that a person who has not done something illegal or contravening these provisions need not fear any infringement of his right.”

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had last week told newsmen that he was unaware of the bill which seeks to regulate social media and impose fines and jail terms for misuse of social media.