Office Of The Senate President Clarifies Rumored Social Media Bill

Read the press statement from the
office of the Senate president below.
Clarification on false claim that
Senate passed a bill proposing to jail
social media users for two years.
The bill being made reference to, is
An Act to Prohibit Frivolous Petitions
and Other Related Matters, which
absolutely makes no mention of
jailing social media users.
Senator Na’Allah’s bill seeks to make
illegal, the common act of
individuals sponsoring frivolous
petitions to tarnish/blackmail public
servants or political office holders
for selfish purposes.
The bill also seeks to make it a
requirement for petitioners to
depose to an affidavit in court which
will must be attached to any petition.
Where such petition is discovered to
be frivolous, or mischievous or the
fact there in are false, the proposed
bill makes it a case of perjury which
is an offense under the law.
The Deputy Senate leader in his
submission expressed concern that
with such frivolous petitions, the
right of an individual to be
presumed innocent until proven
guilty by a competent court, would
have eroded such presumption of
innocence as these petitions lead to
media trials that hampers the rule of
law.
In the developed societies and in
particular, the US, if one files a
petition with the Federal Bureau of
Investigation or any other
government agency, aimed at
defaming someone, ruining their
reputation or family and such
petition is discovered to be false,
such a person will be held liable and
would pay dearly for it.
One can only imagine that if
countries allowed dishonest elements
to file petitions against their
opponents without having to hold
them accountable, this will amount
to impunity.
Please find attached the lead debate
to the said petition.
Signed
Bamikole Omishore
SA New Media
President of The Senate