#Twitterban: Deactivate Your Twitter Accounts, Nigerians Taunt Govt Officials, Agencies

Mrs Aisha Buhari, the wife of the President, deactivated her Twitter account on Friday night and Nigerian tweeps have reacted by calling on other government officials and agencies to follow suit.

The PUNCH had earlier reported that she deactivated her Twitter account hours after the government of her husband, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), announced the suspension of the micro-blogging site.

“I will be deactivating my Twitter account for now. Long live Federal Republic of Nigeria,” she had tweeted at 11:59pm on Friday.

Minutes later, the account, which had over one million followers as of June 4, was no longer available on the social media platform.

The deactivation has evoked reactions from Nigerian tweeps; some were indifferent, few praised her for her solidarity, while majority called on other top government officials to do the same.

A tweep, @Iffect_07, said, “Her Twitter account was never useful to us in the first place…Good riddance.”

Another tweep, @sethbundle007 tweeted, “Well, that will help relieve her from the burden of telling Nigerians the truth about her husband’s failure and tricky agenda.”

“What has her presence here done for the common man?,” @charlichy asked.

@EgelleChristian tweeted, “She is representing. Nice solidarity.”

“I don’t blame her. She’s only being a good wife. I would expect mine to do the same,” @temmyb86 tweeted.

“That’s where they will see her. The insecurity in the country is none of her business,” @sam82926185 tweeted.

Tweeps were also drawn to the fact that top government officials, ministers, agencies, and presidential aides are yet to deactivate their Twitter accounts.

Even the President is yet to deactivate his own Twitter account as his wife has done.

Reacting to this, @daisybabyluv1 tweeted, “Her husband’s account should be deactivated already too. What is he waiting for?”

@gaslarry1 wrote, “We are waiting for Buhari, Lai Mohammed, Shehu Garba, Femi Adesina and other APC members to do the same.”

“When is Buhari and other federal government ministries deactivating theirs?,” @gbot_man asked.

@greatolasoji1 tweeted, “Her husband and his allies in dictatorship should follow the example Aisha Buhari has laid.”

@egb80 tweeted, “The question should be: why has Buhari not deactivated his own? Monitoring spirits everywhere.”

“Mr Lai should be the first to do so. What is he waiting for? Next should be all social media handles of FGN and serving politicians,” @youbeeismyname tweeted.

@rosy23elle tweeted, “All government-related accounts and their media crews should do the same.”

@Danielregha wrote, “All APC members should emulate what Aisha Buhari did and deactivate their Twitter accounts. They should, for once, lead by example since they imposed the law.”

“Even Buhari has not deactivate his account. Until then, no one can force us,” @toskoas2 tweeted.

The PUNCH had earlier reported that Twitter deleted a post by the Nigerian President on Tuesday.

Consequently, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, who had accused Twitter of double standards, announced the suspension of the microblogging site on Friday, citing the “persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence”.

The minister’s statement was, however, silent on the time that the ban would be enforced.