The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) says it will name and shame politicians who engage in hate speech campaign ahead of the 2023 General Elections.
The Executive Secretary of NHRC, Tony Ojukwu, made this known at a Stakeholders’ Dialogue on the State of Human Rights in Nigeria organised by Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) with support from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).
He said: ”The issue of hate speech is really toxic, politics is not all about trying to use foul language and incite people against each other or trying to use religion to divide them.
He also said “I have been listening to politicians’ campaign and nobody is talking about human rights issues in their campaign agenda, nobody is talking about how to ensure women participation in politics.
Ojukwu charged political parties in Nigeria, to make human rights protection a critical component of their campaign agenda, rather than indulging in hate speeches against their opponents.
The Chairman House Representatives Committee on Human Rights, Rep. John Dyegh, said the house was aware of the various human rights abuses and called on citizens to continue to use the appropriate channels to register their petitions for necessary action.