The commission out rightly condemned the advertorial sponsored by Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State captioned "Nigeria: Be Warned", saying it amounted to hate speech and violated all norms and standards and provisions of the Electoral Act which prohibit speeches and publications of this nature.
Chairman of the NHRC, Professor Anslem Chidi Odinkalu, said this at a media roundtable organised by the commission in Abuja, yesterday. He pointed out that the governor's advert was not only in bad taste but it also violated Section 95 of the Electoral Act and should be made to pay for such open infraction.
Section 95(1) and (2) of the EA says: "A political campaign or slogan shall not be tainted with abusive language directly or indirectly likely to incite religious, ethnic, tribal or sectional feelings.”
"Abusive, intemperate, slanderous or base language or insinuations or innuendos designed or likely to provoke violent reaction or emotions shall not be employed or used in political campaigns."
While addressing journalists at the forum, Odinkalu urged the Nigerian media to renew its commitment to its social responsibility by ensuring that it refuses to publish or broadcast any statement that has any semblance of the hate speech.
Odinkalu, warned that hate speeches were capable of inciting the people into violence, as was the case in Kenya during the dark days of post-elections, which turned bloody, said the media was a major "gate-keeper" in efforts to rid the polity of hate speeches, pointing out that if the media failed to publish or air a statement containing hate, the country would have taken a major step towards winning the campaign to bring decorum and sanity to the polity.
The commission also faulted the Rev. Fr. Mbaka for violating the Electoral Act by using the pulpit to speak politics.
"Rev. Fr. Mbaka breached Section 95 of the Electoral Act twice by using the pulpit to speak for President Goodluck Jonathan and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.”
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