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Unban Twitter, focus on insecurity, USAID, ActionAid tell FG
- SERAP drags Buhari to ECOWAS court
- Trump hails FG, regrets not banning Twitter, Facebook
The United States Agency for International Development and ActionAid Nigeria have asked the Federal Government to lift the suspension on Twitter.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and 176 concerned Nigerians have also taken the FG to ECOWAS court over what they called “the unlawful suspension of Twitter in Nigeria, criminalisation of Nigerians and other people using Twitter and the escalating repression of human rights, particularly the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom in the country.”
But former US President Donald Trump has hailed Nigeria for suspending the operations of Twitter in the country.
The Federal Government had on Friday suspended the operations of Twitter indefinitely due to its use for activities that were capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, announced the suspension of the micro-blogging social network, days after Twitter deleted a post by President Muhammadu Buhari for allegedly violating its policy.
The USAID’s message was conveyed by a senior American diplomat, who is the current administrator of the agency, Samantha Power.
While the Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, Ene Obi, said the FG’s major attention should be focused on tacking insecurity in the country and not Twitter.
Power, in a tweet on her verified handle on Wednesday, wrote, “There are nearly 40 million Twitter users in #Nigeria, and the country is home to Africa’s largest tech hub.
“This suspension is nothing more than state-sanctioned denial of free speech and should be reversed immediately. #KeepItOn.”
She said the government should eliminate insecurity and other socio-economic challenges confronting the country.
In the suit filed before the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in Abuja, SERAP and the concerned Nigerians are seeking “an order of interim injunction restraining the federal government from implementing its suspension of Twitter in Nigeria, and subjecting anyone, including media houses, broadcast stations using Twitter in Nigeria, to harassment, intimidation, arrest and criminal prosecution pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”
The suit was filed by Solicitor to SERAP, Femi Falana SAN, contending that “if this application is not urgently granted, the Federal Government will continue to arbitrarily suspend Twitter and threaten to impose criminal and other sanctions on Nigerians, telecommunication companies, media houses, broadcast stations and other people using Twitter in Nigeria, the perpetual order sought in this suit might be rendered nugatory.”
Obi of ActionAid Nigeria also spoke in Abuja on the Twitter ban at the Youth Digital Engagement Project Closeout and Dissemination meeting.
She called on the government to rescind its decision as it had huge impact on the lives of emerging young entrepreneurs depending on social media for their livelihood.
“It’s also a counterproductive move for a nation seeking to create more jobs and reduce poverty as part of its post-COVID-19 recovery strategy,” Obi said.
She said that the YDE sought to use technology to support the work of young people in holding duty bearers to account through funding from Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA).
She said that in Nigeria, the innovation was pioneered in partnership with Gombe State Youth Parliament, Gombe State; the African Human Development Centre, Akwa Ibom State and the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) in the FCT.
Trump, in a statement on Tuesday night, commended Nigeria for the action, calling on more countries to “ban Twitter and Facebook for not allowing free and open speech.”
“More countries should ban Twitter and Facebook for not allowing free and open speech – all voices should be heard.”
The former US leader also expressed regrets for not taking action against them while he was president.
He said: “In the meantime, competitors will emerge and take hold. Who are they to dictate good and evil if they themselves are evil?
“Perhaps, I should have done it while I was President. But Zuckerberg kept calling me and coming to the White House for dinner telling me how great I was.”
Trump also made a veiled reference to his speculated 2024 presidential ambition by simply saying: “2024?”
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Twitter and Facebook had in January suspended Trump’s accounts indefinitely.
Facebook had also on Friday announced that it had banned Trump from its two platforms – Facebook and Instagram – for two years, effective January 7, 2021.
Facebook, in a statement by Nick Clegg, Vice-President of Global Affairs, cited “severe violation” after Capitol Hill riots of January 6 and that Trump’s accounts would only be reinstated if conditions permitted.
The former US president had also opened his own personal website: www.donaldjtrump.com to enable him continue reaching millions of his supporters.
News
Presidency silent over Tinubu’s whereabouts after official trips abroad
Presidency silent over Tinubu’s whereabouts after official trips abroad
There are concerns over the whereabouts of President Bola Tinubu as he has not returned to Nigeria a week after his official assignments in Netherlands and Saudi Arabia.
Tinubu travelled out on April 23 and had last attended a two-day meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) that ended on Monday April 29, 2024.
But since the programme ended, the Presidency has not released any statement on what is still keeping the President abroad.
A report by Daily Trust said there were speculations that the President must have proceeded to Paris, France, where he had travelled to several times for medical treatment.
It also reported a Presidency source as saying Tinubu had travelled to London shortly after completing the Riyadh assignment in Saudi Arabia.
“A highly placed official at the Presidency told one of our reporters yesterday that the President ‘is at the moment in London on a private visit’.”
The President on April 23 left Abuja for the Kingdom of the Netherlands on an official visit.
Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, had, in a statement, said the visit was on the invitation of Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
Ngelale said while in the Netherlands, Tinubu would engage in high-level discussions with the Prime Minister and hold separate meetings with His Royal Majesty, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Kingdom.
He stated, “While in the Netherlands, the President will participate in the Nigerian-Dutch Business and Investment Forum, that will bring together heads of conglomerates and organisations in both countries to explore opportunities for collaboration and partnerships, especially in agriculture and water management towards innovative solutions for sustainable farming practices.”
Ngelale also said Tinubu would, as part of the official visits, also proceed to attend a special WEF meeting scheduled for April 28-29 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
As of today May 6, both President Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima are out of the country.
Shettima on Sunday evening left Abuja for Dallas in Texas, the United States, for the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit.
Presidency silent over Tinubu’s whereabouts after official trips abroad
News
Shettima away to Texas for US-Africa Business Summit
Shettima away to Texas for US-Africa Business Summit
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has travelled out to Texas, United States, for the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit.
The 16th US-Africa Business Summit is scheduled for May 6-9, 2024, in Dallas, Texas, a landmark event with the theme ‘US-Africa Business: Partnering for Sustainable Success’.
A statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, the Vice President would join other political and business leaders from Africa, the US, and beyond for high-level dialogues, networking sessions and plenaries.
Other African leaders expected at the summit are Presidents Joseph Boakai of Liberia, Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi, Joao Lourenço of Angola, Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana, José Maria Neves of Cabo Verde, and Deputy Prime Minister Nthomeng Majara of Lesotho.
Shettima is expected to speak at various sessions, including the Roundtable on African Infrastructure Investment and a plenary session on Navigating Africa’s Energy Future.
He is also scheduled to speak on a high-level panel on agribusiness, focusing on transiting “from food insecurity to thriving agribusinesses”.
He will chair a session promoting the ‘Invest in Nigeria’ initiative and attend other meetings and engagements on the sidelines of the summit.
Shettima, who is expected to return to Nigeria at the end of his engagements, travelled at a time President Bola Tinubu is also out of the country since April 23.
News
SERAP sues Wike, 36 govs over N5.9tn, $4.6bn loans
SERAP sues Wike, 36 govs over N5.9tn, $4.6bn loans
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against Nigeria’s governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Mr Nyesom Wike “over their failure to account for N5.9 trillion and $4.6 billion loans obtained by their states and the FCT, and to publish copies of the loan agreements, including details and locations of projects executed with the loans.”
The suit followed the disclosure last month by Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State that the immediate past administration of Nasir El-Rufai left $587m, N85bn debt and 115 contractual liabilities, making it impossible for the state to pay salaries.
In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/592/2024 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, SERAP is asking the court to “direct and compel the governors and Mr Wike to account for N5.9trn and $4.6bn loans obtained by their states and the FCT and to publish copies of the loan agreements, location of projects executed with the loans.”
SERAP is also asking the court to “direct and compel the governors and Mr Wike to invite the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the spending of all the loans obtained to date by their states and the FCT.”
In the suit, SERAP is arguing that “It is in the public interest to grant the reliefs sought. Nigerians have the right to see and scrutinise the loan agreements and know the details of how the domestic and external loans obtained by the governors and FCT minister are spent.”
According to SERAP, “Opacity in the spending of the loans obtained by the governors and Mr Wike would continue to have negative impacts on the fundamental interests of the citizens.”
SERAP is also arguing that, “Many states and the FCT are reportedly spending public funds which may include the loans obtained by them to fund unnecessary travels, buy exotic and bulletproof cars and generally fund the lavish lifestyles of politicians.”
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SERAP is also arguing that, “Many states and the FCT are also allegedly mismanaging public funds which may include domestic and external loans obtained from bilateral and multilateral institutions and agencies.”
According to SERAP, “Many states and the FCT reportedly owe civil servants’ salaries and pensions. Several states are borrowing to pay salaries. Millions of Nigerians resident in the state and FCT continue to be denied access to basic public goods and services such as quality education and healthcare.”
According to SERAP, “Transparency in the spending of the loans obtained by the states and FCT is fundamental to increase accountability, prevent corruption, and build trust in democratic institutions with the ultimate aim of strengthening the rule of law.”
The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi and Ms Valentina Adegoke, read in part: “States and the FCT should be guided by transparency and accountability principles and proactively account for the loans obtained and publish copies of the loan agreements.”
“Widely publishing copies of the loan agreements and spending details of the loans obtained would ensure that persons with public responsibilities are answerable to the people for the performance of their duties in the management of public funds.”
“State governors and Mr Wike cannot hide under the excuse that the Freedom of Information Act is not applicable to their states and the FCT. The legal obligations to publish the information sought are also imposed by the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.”
“According to Nigeria’s Debt Management Office, the total public domestic debt portfolio for the country’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory is N5.9 trillion. The total public external debt portfolio is $4.6 billion.”
“The domestic and external loans obtained by the states and the FCT are vulnerable to corruption and mismanagement. The states and FCT have a responsibility to ensure transparency and accountability in how any loans obtained by the states and FCT are spent, to reduce vulnerability to corruption and mismanagement.”
“Directing and compelling the states and FCT to publish copies of the loan agreements would allow Nigerians to scrutinise them, and promote transparency and accountability on the spending of public funds including the loans obtained.”
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“Providing and widely publishing the details of the spending of the domestic and external loans obtained by the states and FCT would enable Nigerians to effectively and meaningfully engage in the management of the loans.”
“The constitutional principle of democracy also provides a foundation for Nigerians’ right to know the details of loan agreements and how the loans obtained are spent. Citizens’ right to know promotes openness, transparency, and accountability that is in turn crucial for the country’s democratic order.”
“The effective operation of representative democracy depends on the people being able to scrutinize, discuss and contribute to government decision making, including on the spending of loans obtained by the states and FCT.”
“To do this, they need information to enable them to participate more effectively in the management of public funds by their state governments and the FCT.”
“The public interest in obtaining information about expenditures relating to the loans obtained by the states and FCT outweighs any privacy or other interest.”
“The oversight afforded by public access to such details would serve as an important check on the activities of the states and FCT and help to prevent abuses of the public trust.”
“There is a significant risk of mismanagement or diversion of funds linked to loans obtained by state governments and the FCT. The accounts of Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT are generally not open to public scrutiny.”
“The Nigerian Constitution, human rights and anticorruption treaties to which Nigeria is a state party also impose obligations on the states and FCT to prevent mismanagement or diversion of public funds including the loans obtained.”
“Many years of allegations of corruption and mismanagement of public funds including the loans obtained by the states and FCT have contributed to widespread poverty, underdevelopment and lack of access to public goods and services.”
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit filed by SERAP.
SERAP sues Wike, 36 govs over N5.9tn, $4.6bn loans
Presidency silent over Tinubu’s whereabouts after official trips abroad
Shettima away to Texas for US-Africa Business Summit
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