Chief Olabode George, a former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the weekend said Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture owe Nigerians explanation over the ban of Twitter in the country.
For deleting President Muhammadu Buhari’s tweet, the Minister on Friday announced Twitter’s suspension in a statement by his media aide, Segun Adeyemi.
The statement announcing Twitter’s ban was was also published on Twitter via Nigeria’s Ministry of Information and Culture’s handle.
The Nigerian government’s spokesman cited “the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence” as the reason for the suspension.
Speaking in a chat with Daily Independent, Bode George, former Military governor of old Ondo state said Nigerians shouldn’t be punished for an offence committed by the president.
“The outright ban of Twitter is not a proper thing to do. This government should be patient in their dealings. If the federal government is angry with Twitter, does that imply that all Nigerians are also at war with Twitter? Were Nigerians consulted before this decision was taken?”.
“ The head of the Minister of Information should be examined. Why will he advise the President to take such a decision? Why should the Minister of Communications give that advice? If they find any fault with our currency now, will the federal government ban the exchange of naira to dollars?”
“This is scary. Why are we just fighting everybody up and down? It has nothing to do with politics. It is undemocratic and illegal. My advice to oga (President Buhari) is to take things easy”.
“We are in a democracy and not under military rule. When Twitter banned Donald Trump during the US presidential election, why didn’t Trump place outright ban on Twitter in the whole of US?”
“The President’s account with Twitter is an individual account, not that of all Nigerians. Twitter is a private company and they have their laws”.
“If they said the President’s tweet violated their rules and deleted it; let them take it up with Twitter. It is an individual account and not that of the entire country. Are we consulted before the President signed in for Twitter? Why should we be punished for his sins?”.
