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| Afenifere spokesman, Yinka Odumakin |
Yoruba sociocultural group, Afenifere, has said the National Assembly could not prescribe the death penalty for treasury looters because it would be self - indicting, noting that it was not surprising that the lawmakers chose to save their own necks over the necks of Nigerians.
The Nigerian Senate had said it is impossible for it to initiate a bill that prescribes death penalty for looters. But will rather support any executive or private member bill that would criminalise acts of corruption.
The spokesperson for the Senate, Godiya Akwashiki in an interview with PUNCH on Thursday, explained that it was impossible for the Senate President to direct any senator to produce any particular bills, including one that prescribes the death penalty for looters.
“It is not possible for the Senate President to direct any senator to go and produce a particular type of bill. All of us are elected to represent our constituency from various parts of the country,” he said.
But reacting, the group’s spokesman, Mr Yinka Odumakin, said most lawmakers would not be alive if the death sentence was prescribed for corruption.
He stated, “The senators cannot prescribe the death penalty for looters because they do not want to sentence themselves to death; it is easier to send others to death. If you prescribe the death sentence for looters, then a lot of them would not be alive.”
Afenifere argued that the hate speech bill was meant to impress President Muhammadu Buhari, advised Nigerians to resist the bill.
He alleged many leaders of the ruling party engaged in hate speech in the run- up to the 2015 general elections.
Odumakin said, “A few days ago, the Senate President said they would pass anything President Buhari brought, which clearly showed the height of their servitude.
“What they are doing is to impress the President at the expense of the Nigerian people. But Nigerians have to rise up against this barbaric law they are to make.
“When you compile the speeches of all APC leaders between 2014 and 2015, the title of the book you would write is, ‘Hate Speech: Parts One and Two.”
