Media Rights Agenda (MRA) Thursday called on President Muhammadu
Buhari to sign the Digital Rights and Freedom Bill into Law, saying it
will be a major legacy of his Presidency which will benefit millions
of Nigerians for years to come.
In a statement in Lagos, MRA said by speedily assenting to the Bill,
which was transmitted to him for signature by the National Assembly on
February 5, 2019, President Buhari would be confirming his
administration’s support for Internet freedom for Nigerians.
Praising the National Assembly for the swift consideration and passage
of the Bill by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, MRA’s
Executive Director, Mr. Edetaen Ojo, described the proposed Law as “a
strong piece of legislation that conforms strongly to global norms and
standards and will effectively protect the rights of Nigerians on the
Internet and in the digital environment.”
The Bill was passed by the House of Representatives on December 19,
2017 and similarly passed by the Senate on March 13, 2018 but was
transmitted to the President on February 5, 2019 due to a clerical
error in the version passed.
Calling on President Buhari to assent to the Bill without delay and
thereby demonstrate his willingness to protect the rights of all
Nigerians online as they are protected offline, Mr. Ojo said: “The
Bill provides a comprehensive framework for the advancement,
protection and enjoyment of human rights on the Internet and in the
digital environment, consistent with Nigeria’s regional and
international obligations under various international human rights
instruments, some of which Nigeria has led in bringing into being by
co-sponsoring”.
Mr Ojo reminded the President that: “Nigeria played a leading role on
the global stage in 2012 when it led in co-sponsoring the landmark
Resolution on the Promotion, Protection and Enjoyment of Human Rights
on the Internet at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, alongside
Sweden, the United States, Brazil, Turkey and Tunisia, wherein it was
affirmed that “the same rights that people have offline must also be
protected online, in particular freedom of expression, which is
applicable regardless of frontiers and through any media of one’s
choice.”
He pointed out that the resolution brought Nigeria tremendous respect
and acclaim from around the world and therefore urged the President to
sign the Digital Rights and Freedom Bill “in keeping with the
groundbreaking direction and guidance which this Resolution provided
to the global community on human rights online.”
In addition, Mr. Ojo said, the Digital Rights and Freedom Act will
help boost an innovative environment for Nigerians, as well as
accelerate the country’s development in the digital age by allowing
all Nigerians take maximum advantage of emerging opportunities, adding
that this will be beneficial to the government and its efforts to
ensure the economic growth of Nigeria including though its recent
Enabling Business Environment initiative.
Mr. Ojo added that: “The Bill, when it becomes Law, will bring
Nigeria’s domestic law, policy and practices with regards to the
protection of human rights on the Internet into conformity with this
international norm that we were central as a nation in developing and
bequeathing to the global community.”
MRA also called on all other stakeholders, especially the media and
civil society actors, the business community, the telecommunication
sector etc. to lend their voices to the advocacy for speedy
presidential assent and subsequently, ensure that they monitor its
implementation and ensure that its provisions are applied in practice.
Mr. Ojo said if passed into law, this piece of legislation will impact
positively the personal and professional lives of all Nigerians who
are connected to the Internet as well as those who will be connected
in the future. He added that it is essential for all stakeholders to
contribute to this process in every way possible including through
advocacy, by writing about it, facilitating discussions and debates,
playing their roles in ensuring its implementation and encouraging
other members of society to do so as well.”
