The Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to reverse the decision to ban the operation of Twitter in Nigeria.
From Saturday morning, most Nigerians could not access the microblogging platform.
Some have however resorted to the use of Virtual Private Network (VPN) to gain access to their accounts.
Makinde in a statement on Saturday, noted that leaders should “go beyond emotional reactions to issues” and explained how the ban would affect the economy of young people in the country.
“It has become imperative for me to release a statement regarding the suspension of Twitter’s operations in Nigeria by the Federal Government.
“As leaders, we should go beyond emotional reactions to issues and think about how our actions will affect the people we lead and our international ratings socially and economically.
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“Twitter has become the platform for young people and indeed all Nigerians to exercise their fundamental right to express and publish an opinion. They use the platform to complain, argue and give feedback to the government and its agencies who in turn, use these to improve policies.
“This is a fundamental point that should be kept in mind as we debate the necessity of this suspension.
“We should also remember that Twitter has gone beyond a source of communication for many of our hardworking youths in Nigeria. It has become a source of livelihood for many, irrespective of their political affiliations or religious leanings.
“Nigerian youths and digital communications organisations earn a living from being able to use the platform to post communications on behalf of their clients.
“Others who may not have physical stores also rely on Twitter to give visibility to their products and services.
“Furthermore, I believe the Federal Government should be actively interested in how certain policies and actions will affect investor confidence.
“I, therefore, use this medium to appeal to the Federal Government to reverse this suspension for the greater good of Nigerians,” the statement read.
In the same vein, human rights lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, has asked the Federal Government to go beyond the suspension of micro-blogging site, Twitter, and “dissolve the Nigerian people which it has become so allergic to and no longer wants to see or hear about”.
The senior advocate also said the government is trying to cover its atrocities from global exposure with its decision to suspend the operations of Twitter in the country.
He made this known in a statement on Friday titled, ‘When A Tottering Government Twiddles Twitter’.
Consequently, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, announced the suspension of Twitter on Friday, citing the “persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence”.
Mobile network operators also said they received a directive from the Nigerian Communications Commission to block access to Twitter in the country following the suspension by the government.
Reacting in a statement, Ozekhome said, “Well, I am not surprised that the Federal Government has suspended Twitter operations in Nigeria. Are you? I have always said that this Government has a very thin skin for criticism. It is a government that cannot take punches, but delights in always giving punches to adversaries, real or imaginary.
“The Government knows that Nigerians now express their resentment and protest through Twitter, by telling the whole world how Nigeria has been turned into a corruption haven, and a sprawling field of butchery, extra-judicial executions and slaughtering.
“Those in Government do not want the world to hear about their atrocities. So, they just gleefully tell the world that they have suspended Twitter and that they would soon license other OTT and social media operations. These people in Government know that Nigerians have been reaching out to the whole world, and they are very embarrassed that the breeze has been blowing, and the smelly backside of the fowl is always being opened for the whole world to see and smell its odorous side.
“This is the same Government that undeservedly rode to power using the same Twitter and other social media platforms it now detests.
“My humble appeal to this Government is that it should go further than this. It should actually suspend or dissolve the Nigerian people which it has become so allergic to and no longer wants to see or hear about. Then, it can now go ahead to elect or select another people in place of the present Nigerians who appear to have become a nuisance to it.
“I am greatly disappointed about this government round and round. I feel very sad as a Nigerian being led by a Government of one scandal per day
