By Camillus Eboh and Ope Adetayo
LAGOS (Reuters) -Nigerian lawmakers on Wednesday withdrew a proposed law that would have imposed punishments of up to 10 years in jail for actions deemed subversive following a public outcry over fears that it was an attempt to crack down on dissent following a wave of anti-government protests.
In a statement, Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives Abbas Tajudeen said the withdrawal was “in response to the voices and concerns of the people”.
Tajudeen, who sponsored the bill, said the “decision follows his extensive consultations with a broad range of stakeholders and careful consideration of the nation’s current circumstances.”
The controversial Counter Subversion Bill, which was in its early stages of debate, proposed a 10-year jail term for refusal to recite the national anthem, a five-year jail term for erecting an “illegal road block”, and a three-year sentence for “disobeying constituted authority”.
The proposed law came in the wake of nationwide protests against economic reforms that have escalated a cost of living crisis. The protests fizzled out following a deadly police response that resulted in at least 22 deaths.
Critics argued that the proposed law was an attempt by the government to suppress dissent and limit public demonstrations.
The bill had moved for a second reading at the House of Representatives, the lower arm of Nigeria’s parliament, before its abrupt withdrawal.
(Editing by Elisha Bala-Gbogbo and Angus MacSwan)
