Nigeria’s governing party, the All Progressives Congress, APC has challenged IT savvy Nigerians to create an alternative to twitter in the country.
The APC National Secretary, Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Senator John Akpanudoedehe who said this in a press statement added that the ban on twitter in Nigeria is an opportunity for citizens to create their own social media platforms.
While defending the Federal Government’s ban on twitter in Nigeria, the APC said twitter failed to manage information that was being passed on its platform.
Senator Akpanudoedehe called on Nigerians to uphold the sovereignty of the nation by supporting the twitter ban.
“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 on 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 suporting the federal government’s Twitter suspension. It is in our national interest” he said.
The APC National Secretary added that individuals who come up with innovative alternatives to Twitter will get relevant support from government agencies.
“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” he said.
Emmanuel Ukoh
