During the public presentation of Babatunde Fashola’s book, “Nigerian Public Discourse: The Interplay of Empirical Evidence and Hyperbole,” Chief of Staff to Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, emphasized the need for social media regulation, labeling it a “societal menace.”
Gbajabiamila stressed that the unbridled dissemination of information via social media could lead to unintended consequences, including threats to security and individuals’ lives.
The event, attended by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, highlighted the importance of evidence-based discourse and data-driven decision-making in governance. Gbajabiamila emphasized the government’s obligation to engage with citizens based on shared truths, praising Fashola for encapsulating his 21 years of public service experience in the book.
Hamzat underscored the crucial role of accurate data in tackling national challenges, lamenting the lack thereof in policy formulation. He emphasized the necessity of deterministic data, even in mundane aspects of life like building construction.
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Meanwhile, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) urged Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker Tajudeen Abbas to reject a social media regulation bill, citing concerns over its potential infringement on freedom of expression and privacy rights.
SERAP’s stance aligns with its advocacy for the protection of fundamental human rights in the face of governmental regulation efforts.