The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus in the house of representatives, has announced that it will sue the federal government if the decision to suspend the operations of Twitter in the country isn’t reversed.
The caucus also asked the government to rescind the directive asking the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to begin the licensing of social media operators in the country.
The PDP caucus described the suspension of Twitter in Nigeria as “one more step in a litany of attempts to restrict the fundamental rights of Nigerian citizens as enshrined in and guaranteed by Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution.”
The leader of the PDP caucus made this known in a statement issued on Sunday and titled ‘Press Release on Suspension of Twitter in Nigeria.’
A statement by the caucus partly read:
“As members and leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party caucus in the House of Representatives of the National Assembly, our objectives are to ensure compliance with the rule of law, good governance, the preservation of law and order, fidelity to the principles of constitutionalism and the general adherence to democratic ethos and principles in public administration throughout the length and breadth of the Federation.
“In the discharge of our foremost duty as custodians of the Constitution and representatives of the Nigerian people, we hereby request the Federal Government to immediately reverse the decision to suspend the access of Nigerian citizens to Twitter.
“We also call on the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture to immediately rescind its directive to the National Broadcasting Commission to begin the licensing of social media operators in the country, having regard to the absence of any enabling legislative framework for such directive.
“We, hereby, give you notice that in the event of the failure, refusal and or neglect of the Federal Government to withdraw, reverse and/or cease the implementation of these oppressive and unconstitutional actions, we shall be constrained to institute legal proceedings at the appropriate judicial venue within the shortest possible time.”
