The Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, (GOCOP) on Monday said the Twitter ban will have an adverse effect that may kill online businesses and shrink the democratic space.
This reaction is contained in a statement signed by its President, Dotun Oladipo, and the General Secretary, Danlami Nmodu in which it raised concerns that the development is a major setback for online publishing and also will hamper the survival of young businesses and entrepreneurs who have a larger population of their market in the social space.
The group urged the government to explore alternative means of settling its dispute with Twitter, noting that “we believe this suspension will ruin our businesses and shrink the democratic space”
“Even more, this action will leave many social media handlers who work full time doing legitimate businesses jobless. This will compound the already troubling unemployment situation in the country.
“We note that there are also millions of Nigerians who use Twitter to ventilate their democratic right of freedom of expression responsibly.”Daar Communications Plc, operators of Africa Independent Television (AIT), Raypower FM and Faaji Radio has vowed to challenge in court the order to deactivate its Twitter account by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
On its own part, Daar Communications has threatened to go to court over the matter as soon as the strike action by the Judiciary Staff is called off. The media group sees the development as an interference with its editorial policy and its right to engage the citizens on the platform of its choice.
Meanwhile, the organisatoon has complied with the federal government directive compelling broadcast stations to refrain from using Twitter as a source of news gathering and therefore asked its audience to follow them on other platforms.
The federal government on Friday banned the micro-blogging app from operating in the country for deleting tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari. The government went further Saturday when Nigeria’s Attorney General Malami announced the prosecution of violators of the ban.
In a follow up to the government order, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) citing Sections 2 (1), 3.11.2 as well as 5.6.3 of the NBC Act, on Monday, directed broadcast stations to “de-install Twitter handles and desist from using Twitter as a source (UGC) of information gathering for News and programmes presentation especially phone-in.”
The acting Director-General of the NBC, Armstrong Idachaba, issued the directive in a statement titled: “Suspend Twitter handles” stated that, “Consequent on the suspension of Twitter operations in Nigeria by the Federal Government over the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining the corporate existence of Nigeria, the National Broadcasting Commission directs all Broadcasting Stations in Nigeria to suspend the patronage of Twitter immediately.
“In Compliance to the above directive, Broadcasting Stations are hereby advised to de-install Twitter handles and desist from using Twitter as a source (UGC) of information gathering for News and programmes Presentation especially phone-in.
Daar Communication’s statement read in part, “Ordinarily, we would challenge the National Broadcasting Commission to quote the relevant sections of the constitution, the NBC Act, or jurisprudence of our laws from which they derive their authority to direct Broadcasters on where to source newsworthy information and interfering in our editorial decision by prohibiting us from sourcing information, citizen opinion and expressions from the Twitter platform.”
” We, therefore, regret to inform our teeming viewers and audience that in compliance with the directive by the NBC following the Federal Government suspension of Twitter operations in Nigeria, that we are henceforth and with immediate effect suspending the use of Twitter to disseminate information and to gather newsworthy indignation and opinions from the platform.
“We will seek to challenge this directive in court as soon as the courts resume and will be guided by judicial interpretation of this directive going forward. In the interim, you can follow us on Facebook and Whatsapp.”