The Nigerian Senate has maintained its silence on the federal government’s decision to ban popular microblogging site, Twitter, from operating in the country.
This is, however, in contrast to the decision of their counterparts at the Federal House of Representatives to summon Mr Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information over the #TwitterBan.
Members of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the House also walked out of plenary after the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, turned down an attempt to ask the federal government to review the #TwitterBan.
The Nigerian government, on Saturday, announced the “indefinite suspension” of Twitter operations in Nigeria – two days after the site pulled down a controversial tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The microblogging giant had said the tweet violated its rules and many Nigerians viewed it as a threat of violence against the Igbo ethnic group from the South East Region of the country.
The announcement of the ban subsequently generated outrage and condemnation from within and outside Nigeria.
The prohibition of the microblogging site has been described by many as an attempt to gag the media, an attack on press freedom, freedom of expression and an attempt to pass the controversial Social Media Bill.
Many Nigerians have been using various Virtual Private Network (VPN) applications to remain active on Twitter but Nigeria’s Attorney General, in reaction, ordered the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Umar Muhammed, to begin the prosecution of those bypassing the ban.
Although political parties have reacted to the #TwitterBan, many lawmakers, however – especially of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), have been quiet.
Nigerians had expected the Senate to highlight the issue during plenary on Tuesday but mum was the word.
Nothing of the sort was listed for discussion on the Order Paper neither was a motion or Point of Order raised in that regard.
The lawmakers, who began plenary at 11:02 a.m., went into a closed-door meeting shortly after opening prayer.
The executive session lasted for over half an hour and the Senate President thereafter announced that the discussions behind closed doors bordered on the workings of the Senate.
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