5th June, 2021
By Muhaimin Olowoporoku
The House of Representative minority caucus has described the Federal Government’s suspension of social media platform, Twitter as provocative, obnoxious, and unjustifiable.
The caucus said this on Saturday in a statement by the Minority Leader, Rep. Ndudi Elumelu.
Elumelu in the statement said the government’s action to suspend the app was a clear violation of freedom of speech and other democratic rights and tenets as provided by the 1999 constitution as amended.
The caucus said further that the government suspending Twitter shows smacks of intolerance, insensitivity, and aversion to the views, opinions and aspirations of Nigerian citizens, especially the youths, on matters of the state.
“Our caucus rejects this thoughtless decision of the Federal Government which amounts to a clampdown and a direct infringement on the rights of Nigerians to free speech as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the statement reads.
“It further shows the All Progressives Congress (APC) led administration as one that is unwilling to listen to Nigerians but ready to use any means to suppress and subjugate its citizens.
“The Minority Caucus is disturbed that the suspension of Twitter in the country came after the social media platform deleted President Muhammadu Buhari’s tweets.
“Such response by the Federal Government has raised further concerns over the APC-led administration’s disturbing rating on issues of political intolerance, abuse of rights and violation of rules in our country.
“The minority caucus cautions that the development is capable of leading to further restiveness among Nigerians and worsen the situation in the country.”