The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA has condemned the Federal Government, FG, decision to ban Twitter, saying that such ban has no place in constitutional democracy.
NBA therefore asked FG to immediate reverse the ban or face legal consequences.
President of NBA, Olumide Akpata made this remark on his social media handles.
Akpata noted that the Federal government ban on social media handle, Twitter has no basis in Nigerian law, and therefore means a suspension of Nigerians right to freedom of expression.
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“Whether one likes it or not, we are operating a constitutional democracy, the primary consequence of which is that everything must be done according to law; government must be conducted within the framework of recognised rules and principles which restrict discretionary power.” Akpata said.
He further stated that the effect of the ban on a struggling economy like Nigeria’s, particularly, investors confidence is better imagined.
“Beyond the dent on our constitutional democracy, at a time when the Nigerian economy is unarguably struggling
“the impact of arbitrary decisions such as this on investor confidence is better imagined.
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“The @NigBarAssoc has noted with great concern the extraordinary decision of the Federal Govt to suspend the operations of @Twitter in Nigeria and, by necessary implication, the right of Nigerians to freely express their constitutionally guaranteed opinions through that medium.
The NBA President also condemned FG directives @NgComCommission to immediately commence the process of licensing all OTT and social media operations in Nigeria, Akpata emphasized that it’s another disguised attempt to regulate social media, restrict freedom of speech and shrink civic space.
