NUJ Seeks Reversal of Twitter Suspension

By Benjamin Nworie

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to reverse the ban on the Twitter’s operations in Nigeria.

The NUJ also said that the suspension was completely at variance with democratic tenets.

The President of the NUJ, Mr. Chris Isiguzo, made the call when he delivered an address during the 3rd NUJ National Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he noted that the decision to ban the Twitter was undemocratic, obnoxious and totally unacceptable.

Isiguzo said: “At this point, let me pause and express our views about the recent decision by the federal government to place a ban on the activities of the Twitter in Nigeria. We believe that the decision is completely at variance with democratic tenets. A key ingredient of democratic governance is the right of the people to freedom of expression. At any time the people are restrained from freely expressing themselves, then, democracy takes flight.

“The decision to ban the Twitter is undemocratic, obnoxious and totally unacceptable. We, therefore, ask the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to without delay reverse the decision.”

He said that the theme of this year’s conference on “The Media, Insecurity and National Unity” was timely because of the pivotal role of the media as an effective tool for addressing issues of National unity and insecurity.

The president of the NUJ described the primary responsibility of government as protecting life and property of its citizens and stated that it appeared that government has been overwhelmed and unable to perform this responsibility creditably.

He said: “We have carefully watched as national politics has degenerated to the extent that it is threatening national unity and the peaceful coexistence of the country. The situation is being compounded by frightening insecurity across the different geopolitical divides.”

Isiguzo, however, warned that it would be disastrous to allow citizens to lose confidence in the ability of government to deal with the situation decisively.

“In the past 25 years or thereabouts, the architecture of the global system had witnessed tremendous transformation, caused primarily by the collapse of the bipolar world order, which had hitherto pitched the West against the East. This development led to the emergence of other threats around the world. These trans-border crimes included, but not limited, to human trafficking, drug trafficking, environmental and refugee problems and the related racketeering by criminal gangs and freelance elements, kidnappings and banditry.

“If Nigerians had initially thought that they were outside of the vicious grip of some of these threats, then the Boko Haram conundrum and other festering crimes have changed this mindset. The NUJ realises that Nigeria is part of the world order and Nigerians must rise to the challenge which the insecurity poses to our national integrity.

“Today the NUJ is hosting this national conference on “The Media, Insecurity and National Unity,” against the background of the threats we have mentioned earlier in order to achieve a national consensus that will help facilitate Nigeria’s response to the growing problem of insecurity.

“We are convinced that the defeat of terrorism, banditry and other criminal activities while attempting to achieve democratic stability requires the concentration of minds, especially the invaluable role of the media,” he said.