By Tony Akowe, AbujaPDP lawmakers: we will continue to tweetCSOs at ECOWAS courtA row broke out in the House of Representatives on Tuesday when some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers protested Speaker Femi Gbabiamilas handling of deliberation on the suspension of Twitter by the Federal Government.Before they staged a walkout, Gbajabiamila had mandated the House joint committee on Communication, Information, Justice and National Security to investigate the legality of the government action. The committee was given 10 days to submit its finding(s).The Federal Government on June 4 suspended the operations of Twitter, a United States micro-blogging firm. It said Twitters activities were capable of undermining the countrys corporate existenceThe protest by some of the PDP memberserupted when Gbajabiamila ruled out of order, an observation by Caucus leader Kingsley Chinda that the 10 days were too long.While the Speaker was about to read the next business of the day, Chinda interrupted, insisting he had a right to be heard. At that point, House Leader, Ado Doguwa stood and began to caution the caucus leader.Hon. Chinda, be guided Doguwa kept saying some members, apparently indifferent, shouting go and tweet if you want to.The Speaker had in his welcome addressdirected the investigative committeeto invite Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed to brief the House on the objectives, intent, and duration of the suspension on the operations of Twitter in Nigeria.Gbajabiamila explained that the report of the joint committee would guide the House in taking an informed decision for the benefit of Nigerians.However, coming under matters of privilege, Chinda said waiting for 10 days would amount to the suspension remaining in place.Chinda said Mr. Speaker, I stand on Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution, Section 19 of the Universal Declaration on Human and Peoples Right and Article 9 of the African Charter of Human and Peoples Rights.As a representative of the people, I have a source of communication with my constituents, I have a source of interaction with my leaders. But in moving this, I must, with all sense of responsibility commend the steps you took this(Tuesday) morning concerning this issue of ban of Twitter. It was very proactive and very timely.But my concern is that as a Nigerian and several other Nigerians out there, the implication is that for the 10 days you have given that committee to work, this breach will continue. We dont even know for how long thereafter our interaction with the Executive arm will last.Read Also;Who offended Buhari' Twitter or Nigerians'While I agree with the submission of the leadership of this House completely, I will only want to add that for the breach of our fundamental human rights, particularly the right to a fair hearing, right to freedom of speech and expression, we should urge the Executive to, in the interim, reverse the ban.But the Speaker ruled him out of order, saying since the matter has been referred to a committee, it would be wrong for it to be revived.At this stage, all efforts by Chinda to be heard proved abortive with Doguwa and Chief Whip Mohammed Mongunu insisting that he (Chinda) must be guided.Chinda and some other members of the PDP caucus walked out of the plenary, insisting that they will continue to tweet.Also rising under matters of privilege, Adamu Gagdi alleged that there was an earlier plan by some members to disrupt the business of the House.What just happened is an insult to Nigerians and it shows that it was preplanned. Some members of the parliament cannot suffocate the parliament.Weshould stop this conspiracy of going to stop sitting because something did not go your way.Gagdi suggested that the walkout by the PDP caucus members must be investigated.The caucus members later addressed reporters, vowing to continue tweeting. They said they were ready to surrender themselves to the Office of Attorney General of the Federation and the Police for prosecution.Chinda said: TheFederal Government should lift the ban placed on Twitter in the interim, pending the interaction between the Legislature and the Executive.We have said that every member of the PDP caucus would continue to tweet. We are calling on the Attorney-General to leave Nigerians alone, do not prosecute Nigerians. We are their representatives.We will tweet. Any day you want to prosecute us, tell us the court and the time; we will be there ourselves to surrender to your prosecution.Do not prosecute any Nigerian, prosecute usmembers of the PDP caucus in the House. If you want to jail, jail us if we have committed an offence. We surrender ourselves on behalf of Nigerians.Gbajabiamila in a statement after plenary acknowledged the role of Twitter as an important platform for communication and commerce in Nigeria, particularly among the younger generation.He explained in the statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Lanre Lasisi, that the House must react to the development with caution, first by bringing the governments decision under scrutiny through investigation.SERAP, 176 concerned Nigerians sue Fed GovtThree non-governmental groupsSocio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), and Leadership Orientation and Basic Rights Advocacy Centre (LOBRAC)yesterday flayed the suspension of Twitter in Nigeria by the Federal Government.SERAP in conjunction with 176 other have sued the government over the action.SERAPsuit marked ECW/CCJ/APP/23/21was filed before the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in Abuja.The group and 176concerned Nigerians asked for: an order of interim injunction restraining the Federal Government from implementing its suspension of Twitter in Nigeria.They also sought an order stopping the government from 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.A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and rights lawyer, Femi Falana, is the plaintiffs counsel.The plaintiffs told the court that if this application is not urgently granted, the 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.No date has been fixed for the hearing of the interim application and the substantive suit.Also yesterday, HURIWA called on President Muhammadu Buhari to stop: hampering the enjoyment by Nigerians, especially the youth of the economic, social, academic, and cultural benefits that come from associating with like-minded talented and creative minds from all over the globe through the Twitter platform.Malami deactivates Twitter accountAttorney-General of the Federation AbubakarMalami has deactivated his Twitter account.He took to his Facebook page yesterday, posting a photo and a caption that reads, My Twitter account deactivated.The Attorney-General at the weekend threatened to prosecute Nigerians still using the Virtual Private Networks to access Twitter.
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