From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has told the federal government that the suspension of Twitter operations in Nigeria will affect the ease of doing business and scare investors away from the country.
The governor made the observation in a statement he issued on Saturday following the suspension of Twitter by the federal government over an issue with a deleted post by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Oyo governor advised federal authorities not to hamper the operations of thousands of businesses and services with the recent suspension of Twitter’s operations in the country.
Governor Makinde, who noted that the action by the Buhari administration was capable of affecting investors’ confidence in the country, called for due consideration from the government on the implications of its action.
The governor, who has a strong presence on Twitter, said in his statement:
‘Twitter has become the platform for young people and indeed all Nigerians to exercise their fundamental right to express and publish an opinion.
‘It has become imperative for me to release a statement regarding the suspension of Twitter’s operations in Nigeria by the Federal Government. As leaders, we should go beyond emotional reactions to issues and think about how our actions will affect the people we lead and our international ratings socially and economically.
‘Twitter has become the platform for young people and indeed all Nigerians to exercise their fundamental right to express and publish an opinion. They use the platform to complain, argue and give feedback to government and its agencies who in turn, use these to improve policies. This is a fundamental point that should be kept in mind as we debate the necessity of this suspension.
‘We should also remember that Twitter has gone beyond a source of communication for many of our hardworking youths in Nigeria. It has become a source of livelihood for many, irrespective of their political affiliations or religious leanings. Nigerian youths and digital communications organisations earn a living from being able to use the platform to post communications on behalf of their clients.
‘Others who may not have physical stores also rely on Twitter to give visibility to their products and services. Furthermore, I believe the Federal Government should be actively interested in how certain policies and action will affect investor confidence. I, therefore, use this medium to appeal to the Federal Government to reverse this suspension for the greater good of Nigerians.’