The Nigerian government lifted the Twitter ban three days ago, after over seven months restriction that has pitied the government against the people, especially the youths.

As a section of the country, whose businesses were impacted by the ban heave sigh of relief, the Nigerian economy has begun to reckon with the consequences.

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry said on Friday that the Nigerian economy lost N10.72 trillion to the Twitter suspension. This was made known by a statement issued on Friday by Chinyere Almona, Director-General, LCCI.

“In business terms, the cost of the seven-month shutdown of Twitter operations in Nigeria is estimated to be N10.72 trillion ($26.1billion) according to Netblock’s Cost of Shutdown Tool,” Almona said.

The shocking decision to shut down the microblogging app over the deletion of president Buhari’s tweet in June last year, came off as an attack on free speech in addition to the huge weight of economy losses.

The N10.72 trillion loss, which represents about 63% of Nigeria’s N17.1 trillion budget for 2022, compounds the country’s economic struggles that have degenerated in the last five years, and has forced it to depend on borrowing to fund its budgets.

The decision has been largely described as economic sabotage by experts as it belies Buhari’s administration’s push to diversify the economy through digital inclusion. In the wake of the covid pandemic, Nigeria’s economy was sustained by the digital sector, laying a foundation that many believed that the government should have built upon to foster digital economy.

While she welcomed lifting of the ban, Almona sounded the reminder that the Information and Communications Technology sector was one of the growth drivers of the economy. She said digital platforms have become a viable tool for business operations and governance in engaging with a diversified audience and boosting digital transactions.

The LCCI director urged the government to use regulatory approaches in the dealing with digital issues, especial when it involves multinational companies.

“We, therefore, urge the government to create an enabling regulatory environment that supports global technology companies in achieving their potential and are sustainably profitable,” she said.

She added that improving Nigeria’s digital infrastructure from a policy perspective would boost healthcare delivery, agric-technology, learning, e-governance, and fintech.

“When this happens Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and revenue mobilisation will receive a boost through tax revenues from these companies,” she said.

Nigeria has a ban culture that is increasingly threatening its economic development. The African largest economy, who has over the past four years, placed ban on many digital innovations, including cryptocurrency, has been encouraged to develop regulatory frameworks in handling exigencies of digital tech development.

Almona said the Twitter ban should serve as a lesson, urging Nigeria and other nations to ensure balanced negotiation in the use of digital platforms for mutual benefits between governments and operators.

As the global economy shifts from natural resources to technology, many countries are positioning to grab a share by regulating emerging innovative ideas. Nigeria’s choice of banning everything the authorities do not agree with has been counterproductive, killing employment opportunities and immobilizing the country’s economic growth.

Get your PVC ready.

“The right to vote is the basic right without which all other rights are meaningless and baseless. It gives people, people as individuals control over their own destinies”. ~ Lyndon B. Johnson (Former President of the United States). 

The drum rolls for the 2023 elections, everyone is all charged up and ready for the elections; both those contesting for offices and the electorates willing to exercise their franchise.

So far, only nine persons have openly indicated interest and publicly declared their intentions to contest for the highest seat in the land. More people are definitely going to raise their hands to show interest in the presidential bid subsequently but as of today, we have only nine contestants who have held press conferences declaring their interests to grab the presidential seat.

Some of the aspirants claimed that becoming the president of Nigeria is their destinies and their life time dreams which they must fulfill while some took it to the spiritual and faith dimension; claiming that it has been prophesied that they are the ones that have been anointed by God himself to take the Nation to the promise land and it must come to pass as it has been prophesied just like in the days of Elijah. 

The people that have made their presidential intentions known to the public are: Bola Tinubu; the former Governor of Lagos state and All progressive Congress National leader, Anyim Pius Anyim; the former Secretary General of the federation, Dave Umahi; the incumbent governor of Ebonyi state, Yaya Bello; the current governor of Kogi state, Dele Momudu; the Chairman of the Ovation media, Kingsley Moghalu; Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Yul Edochie; the Nollywood actor, Orji Uzor Kalu; former Governor of Abia state and Khadijah Okunnu- Lamidi; Media Entrepreneur.

Political analysts and spectators are speculating that the numbers of those interested in the presidential seat will increase in the coming days. There are speculations that the former president, Goodluck Jonathan is also interested to get back to power and also the incumbent Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo May also be “under pressure” to join the ring for the Aso rock king’s seat, also the former Vice President and a regular in the presidential election contest, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar will definitely be interested this time again but he’s yet to make his intentions public. 

Citizens of Nigeria should know that it all boils down to them, the electorates who are willing to exercise their right to vote, they are the deciders of who gets on to power come 2023 and this is the reason why every citizen who is eligible to vote and have the interest of the nation at heart should get his or her permanent voters card (pvc) ready and make sure he or she exercises his fundamental human right to vote as provided in s.40 of the Constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria.

Before the All Progressives Congress (APC) of Nigeria would be drenched in the foreseen downpour, I thought it wise as a concerned onlooker and citizen to set the record straight for the ruling party.

I was not unhappy when the APC graciously emerged in 2013. The said mood was not unconnected with the notion that its existence in Nigeria’s political terrain would tremendously help to usher in a wholesome opposition, thereby balancing the pedestal on which the country’s polity stands.

The above candid belief was actually what angered my temperament when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) – then led by Prof. Attahiru Jega – was ostensibly denying the APC the right to officially register as a political party, citing incoherent merging. The unfortunate response of the electoral umpire, which resulted in a delayed registration, seriously instigated my venom.

Anyone who was keenly observing my reaction as at then might insinuate I was one of the individuals that collapsed into the merger party. But my reaction, on the contrary, was solely as a result of my long nurtured quest to witness a Nigeria where the opposition would be reliable, viable, indefatigable and formidable.

Consequently, the APC’s proposed registration eventually received a nod from the INEC. After its registration, it was obviously seen by all concerned that, truly, the long-awaited rival to the then ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had surfaced to the delight of patriotic Nigerians.

Owing to its unparalleled popularity coupled with overwhelming change mantra, the APC conspicuously ousted the PDP from Nigeria’s seat of power via keenly contested polls.

Though since the APC came on board as a ruling party, there has been a series of ups and downs towards ushering in the exact governance it promised the electorate prior to its emergence, the people had apparently chosen to remain patient and optimistic pending when their overall desire would be duly attended to.

The APC had thus far refused to be marred by the unending criticisms and condemnations from the opposition occasioned by perceived bad governance. It is, however, shocking to note that internal politics is a factor that’s likely to mar the ruling party.

Within the past few weeks, the members of the APC in various quarters have publicly showcased that if apt measure isn’t taken, the party might soon be headed for extinction. Emergence of this eyesore smacks of danger for not just the party but anyone who genuinely means well for the Nigerian State.

The downpour foreseen with the aid of my panoramic view, which is liable to set in due to the apparent lack of internal democracy that recently ensued in the APC, may end up consuming the party if its leadership refused to put its acts together for the overall good of the organization.

It seriously beats my psyche when I see or hear the party’s leaders, who are supposed to be concerned about the way forward, indulge themselves in self-deceit.

It’s quite appalling when one realizes that one at the helm of affairs isn’t worried about the misdoings in his territory. It’s indeed a shame to see a group of persons, who were entrusted with certain responsibilities, participate in frivolities.

It’s mind-boggling to observe that when we are required to tell ourselves that all isn’t well, we’re rather busy communicating to the world that nothing actually went wrong.

The last ward, LG and state congresses of the APC were reportedly characterized by irregularities. Afterwards, some of the stalwarts in the party, who were meant to be deeply troubled by the anomaly, were instead seen in different quarters telling the press that the party members had proven to be united, hence ready to retain power at the last general elections held in 2019.

Now, the APC is preparing for yet another national convention despite having experienced various degrees of irregularities in its congresses at the Ward, LG and state levels. A lot has since been said by the party members and concerned observers regarding the awaited convention.

It’s pertinent that, if the needful isn’t done prior to the convention, the national gathering might mark the beginning of the end of the APC. It’s noteworthy that, politically speaking, all isn’t well with the ruling APC as a political party.

It’s not anymore news that the APC already has different factions among the party members. For the anomaly to be critically resolved, the party leadership must be willing to address the issues rather than attacking the personalities that make up the party membership.

Notwithstanding, the party still has chances of putting its house in order. Before it is drenched in the avoidable downpour, I must seize this medium to notify its leaders at various levels that self-deceit has killed millions of individuals than diseases and accidents did, hence the compelling need to squarely face the reality headlong.

As the APC witnesses her elective national convention soonest, it’s therefore inconsequential to reiterate that if the needful isn’t done before the outing, it will still be an exercise in futility.

It would have been splendid and acceptable to ensure that the numerous injuries incurred during the congresses are addressed prior to the conduct of the awaited convention. It would be preposterous to hold a convention while some states are currently recognizing a parallel executive council in various levels.

For the APC to regain its strength, political wise, it’s harmful for its various members to come up with ideas that are in furtherance of their personal interests rather than that of the party.