By Daniel Dauda Jos
A human right activist and former Senator of Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani have charged leaders who occupied the helm of governance to desist from making unwarranted Policies that would undermine and sabotage the right of Nigerians to freely express their opinions.
Senator Sani who was part of 8th National Assembly Senate, said it is right to say freedom of speech is under serious attacks and the need for all forces to stand in defense of what is right is very important.
The former lawmaker while interacting with media in Jos, Plateau State capital explain that "the ruling political establishment are beneficiaries of right of freedom of speech. For those of us who are in the trenches, who fought military regime in the past we did not fought the military for those who are elected into office to undermine and sabotage the right of Nigerians to freely express themselves."
He kick against Nigeria Broadcasting Commission,NBC, five million Naira penalty imposed on Nigeria info FM for granting an interview to Dr. Obadiah Mai Lafiya, for deputy governor of central Bank.
"The find impose on broadcast media is outrightly condemnable. There are two types of hate speeches in Nigeria;pro government hate speech and anti-government hate speech. Pro government hate speech is hate speech that is directed at critics of Government. While anti-government hate speech in the position of power.
But, I think the National Assembly, the Bill that is before the National Assembly if allowed to become law in Nigeria it will be funeral service to the right of people to fully express themselves. You see if you have a compliant Parliament, a twit Judiciary and a weak civil society the Assembly is going to have a dictatorship in Nigeria. So, I believe that the Nigerians can still fight but is unfortunate even the civil society today are so weak.
If you imposed a find of five million Naira for hate speech which are usually criticisms that are unpalatable, you should know that a time would come when you are out of the leadership and stand to express your own opinion. If you find yourself in the position of power you should strengthen the rule of law, strengthen the pillars of democracy because at the end of the day when you are out of the privileges and insulation of power that would only be your succour, that would only be your shield and that would only be your protection.
Whether you are a President today, a Governor,a minister, a Senator there would be a time when you be a former President, Governor, Senator and minister. You will be in your house without security, without immunity and without protection. And you will be at the mercy of those who would be in power at that very time. Whether it is your stouch or your leaky or satrap whoever is going to be in power, you would be at the mercy of him too at that time.So, don't cripple the right of people to freely express themselves!
It is unfortunate in Africa today, democracies are not better than military dictatorship in the continent because all those components and ingredients and differentials that make democracy unique in its form from dictatorship has systematically and consistently been eroded by intolerant leaders who are opposed to free speech.
This is what we have now, when people are in opposition there in support of free speech, there in support of protest, there in support of criticisms. The moment the found themselves in power all those things became irritating to them.
"The media are more trenches that are more than this and you should not relent in terms of expressing your opinions. But not give a space to individual that would incite a religious and ethnic violence in Nigeria. When people promote ethnicity and religious bigotry that is not freedom of expression, that is a call to anarchy and disorder. When some one wants to show that his religious is more superior than other or ethnicity is better than other. So as far as we are concern, lets bring laws and policies that would unite Nigerians to express themselves"; he mentioned.
Speaking on the state of insecurity in Nigeria, Senator Shehu Sani revealed that resources is not the problem, rather bad leadership.
"Resources is not the problem of our security and defense. As a former Senator I knew there is always a enough resources giving to our security forces In terms of what they budgeted for and possibly in terms of what is released.
The immediate importance is that of peace, security and unity. The Northern part of Nigeria today is evidently disunited. Divisive forces are in control of the affairs of the state. People in the North are more polarized along religious and ethnic sentiment than have never been in the history of our country. People are ready to kill and dead in the name of religion and ethnicity and are not ready to dead in the name of their own country.
We have lost that spirit of togetherness, oneness, love, brotherhood that has been bequeathed to us by our founding fathers. We see ourselves as Muslim and Christian and there is nothing wrong with that. What is wrong with that is that people at leadership positions must treat every Nigerian irrespective of ethnic and religious background, with fairness, equity and justice. But when you don't have equity, fairness and justice already the seed of disharmony, acrimony and violence has already been planted.
If you're a Muslim leader be fair to Christian and if you're a Christian be fair to Muslim that is the way to have peace. If you're in a state that multi-religious or multi-minorities show justice, equity and fairness to the minorities that is the per to peace!
"All the prominent religious in Nigeria claimed to professed peace and unity but most times political Leaders uses religious leaders to profess crisis and violence. No matter how you preach peace and unity you can't treat some citizens living in you state or indigenes of your state with deceit and think your going to have peace, there is no peace. You must show everyone justice.
If we're to go by the template of what Sarduna of Sokoto did, the man who preside the affairs of the whole North, whom nobody whether a Christian or Muslim can show one house that he has owned in Kaduna where were born. We were born in Kaduna but you can't show house or farm owned by the Sarduna. We don't know! So, if such a person can demonstrate fairness, equity and justice for those who are claiming to be his disciples we should also demonstrate that.
"Northern leaders, the people of the North they must need to set the conference of its own fault line to address its problems and challenges. Amend it's house because the structure is staggering and is fall; and is threatening the peace of the whole country.
"Political Leaders who are exploiting the sensibility and sensitivity of our people in order to re-enforce their political fortresses or stabilize their political thrust must be resisted. That is the fact. Because our people are dying, our people are being killed every day, but we need to stand up and fight this divisive forces for the unity, peace and for future of our country.
"It is unfortunate that the North that was united for one Nigeria is even finding it difficult to have an orderly house. Let us not make the predictions of forces outside the Nigeria a reality! Let us work hard to preserve this unity.
"National unity is not all about coat of arms. Is not all about National Flag Green white Green, is also not about National anthem; is about peace, justice, equity, fairness and proportional representation. If you alienate a certain sections of Nigerians or marginalized a certain sections of Nigerians you're only plant a seed of disharmony.
If your identity whether religious or ethnic can deny you the opportunity of reaching the height of your dreams in your own country it means there is a question mark in our claims to unity!
While commending on withdrawal of Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, invitation earlier sent to Kaduna state Governor, Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai, amidst protest by some lawyers for Governor's breach of fundamental human right, lack of respect for the rule of law and court orders.
According to him" the lawyers have a constitutional right to do that. Those lawyers who wrote the petition clearly states their position which is very fundamental and constitutional."
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