By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) has joined the local and foreign chorus against President Muhammadu Buhari’s Twitter ban, which, though has not stopped Nigerians from tweeting, is an assault on human rights.
“We also condemn the government’s order to arrest and prosecute Nigerians who use Twitter after the ban. The action undermines free speech and democratic rights in Nigeria.
“The ban will also negatively affect small businesses and jobs that depend on Twitter to transact business and for jobs,” said a statement issued by CDWR National Chairperson Rufus Olusesan and National Publicity Secretary Chinedu Bosah.
“We observe the dangerous degeneration of the Buhari-led government into a full-blown Police State reminiscent of a dictatorial military regime. The Buhari-led government has repeatedly harassed and attacked activists, journalists, media houses etc.
“Most Nigerians are under economic, social and political siege! Activists have been arrested, detained and attacked for protesting unfair and anti-people policies.
“We witnessed how the Buhari regime and the military brutally attacked and suppressed the ENDSARS protest leaving deaths, sorrows and blood.”
CDWR said these attacks are Buhari’s “typical” responses to agitation against his anti-people policies and “obvious failure” to resolve problems including insecurity, the rising cost of living, ailing economy, factory closures amid rise in exchange rate, mass job losses, lack of basic infrastructure, and nationality question.
It warned that “Buhari’s … agenda is to hold the working people down in subjugation and slavery to allow a few privileged self-serving bourgeois elite to continue the loot and exploitation unchallenged.”
CDWR demanded “the reinstatement of Twitter and respect for freedom of speech and democratic rights” as well as “an end to all forms of attacks currently going on including the release of all detained activists and protesters and compensation to all victims of brutality of the police/military.”
“We are also critical of big media including the big tech which are in the hands of tiny oligarchy, business moguls and the capitalist state across the world.
“They are as well used to undermine the interest of the working masses and the poor. So, CDWR calls for democratic control of the big media by the working people. This will make it possible for the media to serve the interest of all.”
It urged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to end their alliance with the “self-serving” capitalist ruling elite and government, and mobilise workers and the poor against all anti-poor policies, attacks on democratic rights and failure over insecurity “by the Buhari government.”