Kaduna religion bill: No President, Governor, Lawmaker can deny people of religion rights – Sen Shehu Sani
Kaduna religion bill: No President, Governor, Lawmaker can deny people of religion rights – Sen Shehu Sani
By Godwin Ekosin, Kaduna
Following the propose bill aimed at ‘regulating’ religion activities in Kaduna State, sponsored by Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, on Sunday said such a bill will be against the provision of the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria which gave every Nigerian right to worship.
The bill, which is currently enjoying second reading in the state assembly, was enacted in 1984 but was touched in 1992 and 1996 all under military rules.
The lawmaker added that the said revisiting bill was promulgated during military era and shouldn’t have been revisited at all especially now that the country has fully returned to democratically governance.
Sen Sani stated this on Sunday while feeding questions from newsmen in Kaduna.
According to him, Kaduna, been a fragile state, do not need such a bill now because the state has suffered serious religion crisis in the past, hence the need to sponsor bills that will fast-track its economic development.
He said, “the right to worship is a fundamental right. Even the senate has no right to throw any law that is not in line with constitution.
“There is already a law that can check excesses not only in religion but also other infringement on fundamental rights of others.
“Kaduna is a fragile state that religion plays a key role. No government, no governor, no president, no legislator can take away people’s fundamental right,” he added.
Already, the bill is generating serious tension and controversies as different interpretations are emerging because many paragraphs of the bill are shady, unclear and pose hidden agenda.
Posted from GoBroadsheet