The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) caucus in the House of Representatives has threatened to sue the Federal Govern over its ban on Twitter operations in Nigeria.
The threat was contained in a statement signed by the leader of the caucus, Kingsley Chinda, on Sunday, where the lawmakers said the Nigeria government did not have the power to ban the social media platform and argued that the decision lowered the image of the country in the eyes of other democratic countries.
The statement in part reads:
“As members and leaders of the People’s 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.”
