Speaking on Sunday March 8th during a sermon in the church’s second service at Faith Tabernacle, Ota, Ogun State, Oyedepo also criticised the hate speech bill being sponsored by Senator Sabi Abdullahi.

He said “The government in this country is making a draconian law – hate speech. They said if you speak hatefully, you have committed murder. Out of someone who says I will kill you and the one who kills, who has committed a crime? I don’t understand which kind of animal farm we live in. I said stop stepping on my toes and you said that is hate speech but somebody kills and he is walking free on the streets. This is the most stupid and nonsensical idea anybody can think of.
I said you are bad and you said that is a crime. Must I say you are good when you are bad?
In my view you are bad and you shouldn’t be a leader. I have the right to say so. As far as I am concerned, I am a true born and thoroughly-bred Nigerian, an intelligent one. In my view this is the worst thing that has happened to Nigeria — this government. It is the worst and in fact it is like a curse. I have been here for some time and I led the first prayer and fasting for Nigeria in 1979. I am not a baby in the affairs of Nigeria. This is the worst government, a government with no direction. Their days are numbered. I can tell you as a prophet that their days are numbered”.

According to Abdullahi, he explained that the death (by hanging) penalty proposed for anyone found culpable of hate speech which leads to the death of another, would be amended by the Senate when the bill would be debated by the National Assembly members.

The former spokesperson for the Senate said the bill would undergo some fine-tuning to ensure that the clauses contained in its provisions to be passed into law, reflect the views of Nigerians.

Abdullahi, who insisted that hate speech had led to the death of many people, argued that the concept remained a major factor behind depression and suicide in the country.

He said, “We have followed closely arguments for and against the hate speech bill, and seen the reason why some kicked against it. Given the high respect which we have for Nigerians, we will make an amendment to the death penalty aspect that most Nigerians objected to so that a bill that meets their expectations is passed into law.

“Clearly, from the conversations, Nigerians agree that we have a problem today as a result of hate speech which has fuelled so many killings and violence, and is responsible for cases of depression and suicide.”