Revenue loss: Twitter launches negotiation to review ban — FG
By Ayo Fadimu
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the microblogging platform, Twitter, has approached the Federal Government for dialogue with a view to resolving the problem that led to the suspension of its activities in Nigeria.
Mohammed made this known to State House correspondents at the end of the meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at the presidential villa, Abuja on Wednesday.
According to him, he got the message from Twitter seeking dialogue with the government over the suspension order on June 9.
He maintained that the social media giant was suspended because it provided an avenue for unpatriotic elements that were bent on destroying the corporate existence of Nigeria.
According to him, the owner of Twitter helped to fund the recent #EndSARS protest while allowing the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, to use the platform to call for the killing of security agents and destruction of public facilities.
He said Twitter failed to take down Kanu’s tweets in spite of repeated requests to do so.
Mohammed listed conditions that must be met even if there is a discussion with Twitter including that it must now be registered in Nigeria as a business concern.
He said that other social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram must also be registered so that the country could be able to generate revenue from their operations.
“Our decision to suspend Twitter has been lauded by some; it has been decried by some.
“But let me make it clear that what’s important to us is the sovereignty of Nigeria and until when Twitter is paused.
“And the cardinal thing is that Twitter must be registered in Nigeria, Twitter must be licenced in Nigeria and Twitter must stop using its platform for activities that are inimical to the growth of Nigeria or to its corporate existence.’’
According to the government’s spokesman, freedom of speech has not been stifled by the suspension of Twitter as he maintained that Nigerians can still use other platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.
He also denied that the suspension is not effective, arguing that “Twitter is losing money as a result of the action.”
In a related development, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday asked the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Saudi Arabia, and other members of the International Communities to impose a visa ban on President Muhammadu Buhari, the Attorney General, Abubakar Malami, the minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed and other members of the Federal Executive Council.
According to PDP, the suspension of Twitter operations in Nigeria is one of the ways Buhari government is ‘stifling free speech in Nigeria.’
PDP made this call in a statement signed by the party’s spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan made available to Nigerian NewsDirect.
“The party also urged the world bodies to sanction the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami as well as certain leaders of the APC for their individual ignoble roles in the ban imposed on Twitter in addition to associated harassments and threat to Nigerians.
“The PDP urged the countries to bar President Buhari, Lai Mohammed, Abubakar Malami, and their family members from entering their territories for any private purposes whatsoever,” the statement read in part.
The PDP said its demand is based on the violation of UN international Charter on Human Rights by President Buhari by banning the use of Twitter in Nigeria.
The PDP insisted that banning Twitter in Nigeria is a clear violation of Article 19 of the UN Charter as well as section 39 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which guaranteed freedom of expression to all Nigerians.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Article 19 of the UN Charter on Human Rights provides that everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinion without interference and to seek, receive and impact information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
“In the same vein, section 39 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) provides that ‘every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference,’” PDP added.
The party holds that the trio of President Buhari, Lai Mohammed, and Abubakar Malami and their agents cannot continue to enjoy diplomatic privileges and rights extended by virtue of their offices in Nigeria, while at the same time flouting the UN Charter.
