The All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) has backed the Federal Government’s indefinite suspension of Twitter from operating in the country.
National Secretary of the CECPC, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, in a statement, admonished Nigerian youths to see the clampdown on Twitter as a golden opportunity for them “to develop homegrown applications that can rival existing social media platforms and meet the need of Nigerians.”
The ruling party listed countries like Russia and China among nations that have homegrown media platforms.
Justifying the indefinite suspension, the APC further accused Twitter of connivance with those it called, “arsonists, insurrectionists and separatists in the country.”
The statement read in part: “The All Progressives Congress (APC) urges Nigerians talented in the development of social media/software applications to seize the opportunity of the suspension of Twitter operations in the country to develop homegrown applications that can rival existing social media platforms and meet the need of Nigerians.
“Russia has VKontakte (VK), China has Weibo, among several homegrown social media platforms. The APC believes that the country has the potentials and talents that can develop alternative and competitive applications to existing platforms in the world. Twitter’s suspension will undoubtedly serve as a positive trigger to unleash the creative potentials of Nigerians in the global digital space.
“This is a challenge to our vibrant youths with such talents. They will get support in the exercise from relevant federal government agencies as well as the numerous Information and Communication Technology (ICT) training and research establishments in the country.
“The recent announcement by the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy that Nigeria will soon start the production of smartphones and Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards for the African market is evidence that the country has what it takes to make a deep and strong foray into the global ICT industry.
“The APC had earlier released a statement asking Twitter and other operators of social media pages to use their platforms to check divisive and inciting rhetoric, particularly in Nigeria. We tasked them with the important responsibilities to curb fake news, disinformation, hate speech, among others.
Evidently, Twitter failed to do this and even allowed their platform to be used by arsonists, insurrectionists and separatists in the country.
“We are a democratic and independent nation, citizens should defend our sovereignty by supporting the federal government’s Twitter suspension. It is in our national interest.”
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
We Have Not Had Water Supply In Months ― Abeokuta Residents
In spite of the huge investment in the water sector by the government and international organisations, water scarcity has grown to become a perennial nightmare for residents of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. This report x-rays the lives and experiences of residents in getting clean, potable and affordable water amidst the surge of COVID-19 cases in the state…opportunity for Nigerian youths opportunity for Nigerian youths
Selfies, video calls and Chinese documentaries: The things you’ll meet onboard Lagos-Ibadan train
The Lagos-Ibadan railway was inaugurated recently for a full paid operation by the Nigerian Railway Corporation after about a year of free test-run. Our reporter joined the train to and fro Lagos from Ibadan and tells his experience in this report…opportunity for Nigerian youths opportunity for Nigerian youths
and then