The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the Federal Government’s move to regulate social media in Nigeria.

This comes after Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, told newsmen on Saturday, October 31, that the Federal Government plans to regulate the use of Social Media.

The Minister noted that the move was imperative to curb the spread of hate speech and fake news from Nigerians.

In a statement released late on Wednesday, November 4, by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, it described the move as unconstitutional, anti-people and an attempt to silence Nigeria.

It said that the attempt to censor social media was targeted at silencing outspoken Nigerians.

The party said this move is against youth, media, and civil society organisations, who are demanding accountability and competence from the Government.

The statement also stated that the move would also silence citizens from exposing cases of corruption, injustice, human rights abuses and constitutional violations by Government authorities

The statement reads; “Our party rejects the claims that the regulation bill is targeted at checking fake news.

“This is because our nation already has enough implementable laws to counter the dissemination of fake news and punish offenders.’’

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Mr Ologbondiyan said that instead of stopping citizens constitutionally guaranteed rights, Government should rather take steps to reassure Nigerians of efforts to address corruption, treasury looting, abuse of human rights, nepotism and unaccountability.

He admonished the APC-led Government to become more accountable, particularly in exposing corrupt officials including those alleged to be involved in diversion of funds voted for COVID-19 palliatives.

Mr Ologbondiyan said while the PDP did not in any way condone the dissemination of fake news, it rejected the attempt to hide under fake news to use regulation of social media for selfish political reasons.

Recall, on Monday, November 2, the Northern Governor's Forum (NGF) expressed support for the ongoing efforts to regulate social media in order to check the spread of fake news in the country.

The Forum expressed its support in a communique issued by its Chairperson and Governor of Plateau, Simon Lalong, after its meeting in Kaduna with traditional rulers and other key stakeholders in the region.

Also, on Monday, November 2, Eons Intelligence reported that the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) expressed its displeasure at the move to regulate social media, and condemned it outrightly.

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