…Says the association will challenge the decision in court
The Nigerian Bar Association Assoc has noted with great concern the extraordinary decision of the Federal Government of Nigeria 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.
In a statement signed by President of association,Olumide Akpata,he said the Federal Government has also directed the Nigerian Communications Commission to immediately commence the process of licensing all OTT and social media operations in Nigeria, “which is, at best, yet another disguised attempt to regulate social media, restrict freedom of speech and shrink civic space. ”
Said he,”Whether one likes it or not, we are operating a constitutional democracy, the primary consequence of which is that every thing must be done according to law; and government must be conducted within the framework of recognised rules and principles which restrict discretionary power. ”
The NBA president declared that for now,” Nigerian Bar Association finds no constitutional or legal authority to support the peremptory action of the Federal Government to suspend the operations of Twitter in Nigeria and deprive Nigerians of their right to freely express their constitutionally guaranteed opinions.” According to him, 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. ”
“Consequently, if this decision is not immediately reversed, the Nigerian Bar Association will have no choice but to challenge same in the interest of the public and our democracy.”
He declared
