JUST IN: Amid criticism, Media Rights Group commend Buhari govt for suspending Twitter

JUST IN: Amid criticism, Media Rights Group commend Buhari govt for suspending Twitter

Despite criticism at all angle on the suspension on Twitter operations in Nigeria, a foremost media rights group in Africa known as Media Rights Protectors has thrown its full weight behind the decision of the Buhari-led government to ban the activities of Twitter in the country.

In a statement released to newsmen by the group’s Director of African Affairs, Dr. Michael Warungu in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital on Friday night, the group said, Twitter has deviated from promoting free speech, deepening democracy and encouraging balanced and objective journalism to dabbling in to Africa’s domestic affairs by promoting regime change across the continent.

The group recalled the unfortunate role of Twitter in Uganda during it’s presidential election early this year which made President Yoweri Museveni to ban Twitter in Uganda.

As media rights protectors, we believe that the media shoud not be an agent for destabilization but a tool for deepening democracy and promoting good governance in Africa.

The group also accused Twitter of ruthlessly promoting it’s commercial interest in Africa than promoting developmental projects, democracy and it’s institutions in Africa.

While Social Responsibility Press Theory was recommended for advanced democracies in Europe and America, Development Media Theory was recomended for Africa and other third world countries who are undergoing a transition from underdevelopment and colonialism to independence and better material conditions but often lack the infrastructure, money, traditions, professional skills and even the audiences needed to sustain media exposure.

That was why in our presentation at the African Union Summit in 2019, we advised African media to concentrate more on development communication so as to attract foreign investments as well as change the African narrative before the world because African stories can better be told by Africans.

Therefore, we commend the Nigerian government for banning the activities of Twitter and we encourage other African countries where Twitter is interfering with their developmental plans to do same.

It’s time to reinvigorate the spirit of Africa by telling African stories the right way.

Recall that prominent Nigerians have criticised the Buhari-led government for taking such decision.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has reacted to the suspension of Twitter by the Nigerian government.

Atiku in a tweet via his Twitter account, said his tweet on Friday, hopefully won’t be his last.

“Hopefully, this isn’t my last tweet,” he wrote.

Reacting, Saraki kicked against the ban and called for a review of the suspension.

He tweeted, “No sir! This should not be the response from the president of a nation with a vibrant youthful population for whom #Twitter is part of their daily lives and a source of their income and livelihood.

“This must be reviewed.”

Nigerian Bar Association, Amnesty International (AI), SERAP and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mike Ozekhome all opposed the Federal Government’s indefinite suspension of the operations of micro blogging and social networking service Twitter.

They advised the government to immediately reverse itself on the ground that the suspension contravened Nigerians constitutional right to freely express their views via Twitter.

In the alternative, NBA President Olumide Akpata SERAP threatened legal action against the government on behalf of Nigerians.

The recent development affects not just Nigerians on social media but also Nigerian leaders who have individual accounts on Twitter as also have been using the platform for their political campaigns.