The Senate has explained reasons it has not invited relevant stakeholders to deliberate on the social media bill, which has passed second reading on the floor of the red chamber.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele said his panel had, upon resumption, been busy working on the public hearing for the sexual harassment bill.
According to him, the sexual harassment bill, sponsored by the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, also generated huge public interest when introduced, hence the need to do a thorough job in order to capture the views of all stakeholders.
Bamidele said, “The public hearing on the sexual harassment bill will take place on the 17th of this month. We have not fixed any date for the public hearing on the social media bill.
“The dates are fixed in order of reference; we cannot pick a date now until after the public hearing on sexual harassment bill.
“We understand the public interest that both bills generated that is why we want to satisfy all opinions.”
The committee had in November last year, deferred further legislative action on the controversial anti-social media bill sponsored by Senator Musa Sani, to January this year.
