Amidst growing criticism of its banning of social media handle Twitter,
the People’s Democratic Party PDP has asked the United States and United Kingdom to impose a visa ban on President Muhammadu Buhari, Information Minister, Lai Mohammed and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami .
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan,the major opposition party,PDP, also appealed to the other countries like Canada, Saudi Arabia and others to immediately impose the ban
PDP in the Statement said that banning Twitter in Nigeria is a clear violation of Article 19 of the UN Charter as well as section 39 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which guaranteed freedom of expression to all Nigerians.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Article 19 of the UN Charter on Human Rights provides that “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinion without interference and to seek, receive and impact information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers”
In the same vein, section 39 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) provides that “every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including the freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference” the party said.
According to the opposition party, “the trio of President Buhari, Lai Mohammed and Abubakar Malami and their agents cannot continue to enjoy diplomatic privileges and rights extended by virtue of their offices in Nigeria, while at the same time blatantly flouting the UN Charter, which Nigeria is a signatory to, as well as the 1999 Constitution (as amended) upon which provisions they hold office. ”
