Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has urged the Federal Government to reverse its suspension of the microblogging site, Twitter, noting that the platform is a source of livelihood for many Nigerian youths.
The governor in a statement on Saturday said Twitter is not only a communication tool but an application used by brands for the visibility of their products and services.
“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,” he said.
The governor urged leaders to shun emotional reactions noting that Twitter is a platform Nigerians use to exercise their fundamental right.
“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.
“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 government and its agencies who in turn, use these to improve policies.”
According to the governor, this is a fundamental point that should be kept in mind as we debate the necessity of this suspension.
He called on the Federal Government to show an active interest in how certain their policies and actions affect investor confidence.
Twitter Suspension
Seyi Makide’s statement is in reaction to the announcement by the Federal Government of Nigeria suspension of Twitter in the country.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed,
announced the suspension in a statement issued by his office in Abuja.
He cited the persistent use of the platform for activities that are “capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.”
The Federal Government has also directed the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to immediately commence the process of licensing all OTT and social media operations in Nigeria.
