Governor Akeredolu backs social media regulation

Governor Akeredolu backs social media regulation

- Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has backed the controversial advocacy supporting the regulation of social media

- The Ondo state governor said this will help curb the dangerous spread of misleading and fake news

- Meanwhile, Seyi Makinde of Oyo differed, saying no resolution was made to gag social media during the southwest governors' meeting

PAY ATTENTION: Win a prize of N115,000, N75000 or N38000: participate in Big Naija Independence contest by Legit.ng

Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of Ondo state, has backed the regulation of the social media, saying the government "must find a way to control it" in order to curb the spread of dangerous fake news.

The governor made this disclosure while speaking on Channels TV's Sunrise Daily from Akure, Ondo state capital on Wednesday, November 11.

Legit.ng notes that Akeredolu's position is coming on the heels of the last meeting held between the southwest governors' forum and traditional and political leaders in the region

Read also

Gov Makinde: Southwest governors did not support social media bill

Reinforcing the need to control the social media, the governor described as unfortunate and regrettable the spread of fake stories on the Lekki shooting.

Governor Akeredolu on social media regulation
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has backed the controversial advocacy supporting the regulation of social media. Credit: Twitter (Seyi Makinde, Channels TV).
Source: Twitter

Akeredolu, who is the chairman of the southwest governors' forum, argued that "there must be a way" to censor social media because, in top countries like Russia, such move has been taken by the government to avoid an incident capable of degenerating into lawlessness.

"If we cannot be disciplined enough to be able to know that we don't churn out news that can cause a lot of damage in the society, then the government itself must be proactive enough to find a way to control it."

PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet!

Meanwhile, Oyo state governor, Seyi Makinde, has distanced himself from the proposed clampdown on social media through regulation.

In a tweet, the governor also denied media reports that his colleagues in the southwest voted in favour of the controversial social media regulation bill.

Read also

Restructuring: Afenifere urges APC to review El-Rufai's committee's report

Makinde said the southwest governors only resolved the existing Cybercrime Act (Cybercrime Prohibition Prevention Act, 2015) should be allowed to take its course instead of duplicating an existing law in the name of social media bill.

Social media bill: Protest erupts as lawmakers begin public hearing | Legit TV

Source: Legit.ng

Online view pixel