By Innocent Anaba & Abdulwahab  Abdulah

LAGOS—A civil society group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has petitioned  the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in Banjul, The Gambia, against the Federal Government.

SERAP asked it to “urgently intervene to stop the Nigerian government from instigating the passage of a bill in the National Assembly, which aims to undermine the right to freedom of expression and press freedom in the country.”

In the petition signed by its Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, SERAP said the proposed bill before the National Assembly, if signed into law, will contravene  Nigeria’s international legal obligations, including the
African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a signatory.

According to the organisation, the bill, if passed into law,  would undermine and limit the citizens’ right to freedom of opinion and expression; including the right to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

It said: “We are concerned that if passed into law the bill would contravene Nigeria’s international legal obligations, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the UN Convention against corruption to which Nigeria is a signatory.”