…Says Free Speech Must Not Be Gagged
More prominent Nigerians have continued to lend their voices in the growing condemnation of the federal government’s ban on the operations of Twitter in the country, following the erasing of President Buhari’s tweet which the company viewed as a violation of its rules.
Speaking on Monday at the opening of the 3rd National Conference of the NUJ at the Obi Wali International Conference Center, Port Harcourt, the National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chief Chris Isiguzo noted that the decision to ban the Twitter was undemocratic, obnoxious and totally unacceptable.
Isiguzo said: “At this point, let me pause and express our views about the recent decision by the federal government to place a ban on the activities of the Twitter in Nigeria. We believe that the decision is completely at variance with democratic tenets. A key ingredient of democratic governance is the right of the people to freedom of expression. At any time the people are restrained from freely expressing themselves, then, democracy takes flight.
“The decision to ban the Twitter is undemocratic, obnoxious and totally unacceptable. We, therefore, ask the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to without delay reverse the decision.”
He said that the theme of this year’s conference on “The Media, Insecurity and National Unity” was timely because of the pivotal role of the media as an effective tool for addressing issues of National unity and insecurity.
The president of the NUJ described the primary responsibility of government as protecting life and property of its citizens and stated that it appeared that government has been overwhelmed and unable to perform this responsibility creditably.
He said: “We have carefully watched as national politics has degenerated to the extent that it is threatening national unity and the peaceful coexistence of the country. The situation is being compounded by frightening insecurity across the different geopolitical divides.”
Isiguzo, however, warned that it would be disastrous to allow citizens to lose confidence in the ability of government to deal with the situation decisively.
“In the past 25 years or thereabouts, the architecture of the global system had witnessed tremendous transformation, caused primarily by the collapse of the bipolar world order, which had hitherto pitched the West against the East. This development led to the emergence of other threats around the world. These trans-border crimes included, but not limited, to human trafficking, drug trafficking, environmental and refugee problems and the related racketeering by criminal gangs and freelance elements, kidnappings and banditry.
“If Nigerians had initially thought that they were outside of the vicious grip of some of these threats, then the Boko Haram conundrum and other festering crimes have changed this mindset. The NUJ realises that Nigeria is part of the world order and Nigerians must rise to the challenge which the insecurity poses to our national integrity.
“Today the NUJ is hosting this national conference on “The Media, Insecurity and National Unity,” against the background of the threats we have mentioned earlier in order to achieve a national consensus that will help facilitate Nigeria’s response to the growing problem of insecurity.
“We are convinced that the defeat of terrorism, banditry and other criminal activities while attempting to achieve democratic stability requires the concentration of minds, especially the invaluable role of the media,” he said.
On the simmering insecurity in the country, Isiguzo said the NUJ has helplessly watched as national politics degenerated to the extent that it is threatening national unity and peaceful coexistence of the country.
He reiterated that the primary responsibility of government is to protect life and property of its citizens, regretted that the federal government has been overwhelmed and could no longer live up to expectation, warning of the consequences of loss of confidence by the citizens.
Stressing that with Nigeria as part of the world order, the NUJ National President urged the leadership to rise to the challenge which the insecurity poses to national integrity.
His words, “It is instructive to note that the very same policies that work to bring about open, democratic, pluralist societies and open markets, also make trans-sovereign threats possible. These new factors that transcend boundaries and threaten national stability present a very difficult dilemma for policy makers”.
He said that the theme of the Conference: The Media, Insecurity and National Unity was timely because of the pivotal role of the media as an effective tool for addressing issues of national unity and insecurity.
According to him, “While we concede the fact that, the fight against terrorism and banditry are extremely difficult, we believe that the media can contribute immensely in this regard”.
Others who graced the occasion include Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo; Abia State Governor, Dr. OkezieIkpeazu who delivered the keynote address; Minister for Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed represented by the Zonal Director, NTA Network Center, Port Harcourt, Mrs. Bosede Adebayo and former President of NBA, Chief OCJ Okocha who was Chairman of the occasion, amongst others.
