The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom has described the Federal Government’s ban on Twitter operations in the country as an ill-advised diversion from the core issues of insecurity and injustice plaguing the nation.
He stated this in a Sunday statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase.
Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed had announced the ban on Friday, citing “the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence”.
Reacting, Ortom said that the Twitter ban offered no solution to any of the myriad of problems facing the country and stressed that the move was only capable of heightening tensions and fueling suspicions among Nigerians over the real motives of the Federal Government.
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He stated that the act of suspending Twitter amounts to “suppressing freedom of expression, gagging social media and undermining fundamental human rights of Nigerians, a development he says contravenes Chapter four of the 1999 Constitution (as amended)”.
Ortom emphasised the need for the Federal Government to listen to the views and yearnings of the people to enable it address the challenges confronting the nation.
He called for the reversal of the ban to reassure the international community that Nigeria has not become a hostile country to investors.
The governor appealed to those saddled with the responsibility of advising the presidency to always put national interest above personal, regional, ethnic, religious and political affiliations.