On Friday, January 8, 2021, and for the first time in history, all social media giants acted in unison. Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, and even Google, all suspended the accounts of Donald Trump, the outgoing president of the United States of America, for using their platforms to incite violence during and after the riot at the US Capitol by President Donald Trump’s supporters on January 6, 2021.
According to Twitter, President Trump’s tweets were “in violation of the Glorification of Violence Policy”, hence the suspension of @realDonaldTrump, his private account, despite its over 89 million followers.
But while the suspension is making news across the globe, some people are asking can the suspension of an African president’s social media accounts make news across the globe, particularly, Muhammadu Buhari, president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?
The views of people differ on the issue, with many insisting that nobody will care if the President’s accounts were suspended.
According to Martins Uya, an online content creator, @realDonaldTrump, the private Twitter account of President Trump had 89 million followers, and if Twitter suspended it despite the millions the account drags to its platform every day, then Twitter will not look back at suspending @MBuhari, the official account of President Muhammadu Buhari, which has 3.9 million followers.
Kenneth Dada, a lawyer, noted that during their tenures, presidents of the United States of America are usually the most powerful men in the world and they also wield power globally.
“Our president does not wield such power as President Donald Trump, and his suspension will only make news within his circle of friends,” Dada said.
Considering the fact that President Buhari has just 3.9 followers on his official Twitter account, Dada thinks that less people are following the president, and who are most likely his supporters, and beneficiaries.
OBINNA EMELIKE
Sam Nuhu, a teacher, argues that while President Trump tweets by himself, responds to followers’ tweets and hence his suspension is making news because of the many followers, President Buhari may not be the one running his Twitter account.
“I doubt if President Buhari is the one running his Twitter account, if so, there are many queries his followers expect him to tweet about, but his media aides will always respond instead. So, many are not aware of Mr. President’s Twitter account and if it is suspended, many will also not know or care,” Nuhu said.
But in defence of the President, Ali Abubakar, an engineer with the national oil company, noted that President Buhari has been very active on Twitter and has been tweeting in response to followers and critics’ queries on national issues.
“A president should not be taking to Twitter all the time to express himself like President Trump. There should be a limit, but Trump failed to recognise that. Our President Buhari is coordinated; he cannot open his mouth wide on social media. So, his suspension will make news, because he is a quality account holder,” Abubakar said.
As well, Ifedayo Oni, a politician, noted that President Buhari is a world leader and any news about him will make impact, including suspension of his social media account.
Coming from a different angle, Amos Alachenu, a security personnel, noted that social media giants like Twitter would not try the suspension of President Buhari’s account because of reprisal effect.
“Our President does not take nonsense from anybody; he may also suspend Twitter in Nigeria for suspending his account. Yes, he can do that and nothing will happen. Those who need social media would be allowed to visit Benin Republic or Cameroon to do so,” Alachenu said.
Also, Oni thinks the President can suspend Twitter from the country if the social media giant suspends his account, hence the over 200 million Nigerians and the world, will care if President Buhari’s account is suspended.
“If Donald Trump did not lose in the US elections, all the social media platforms would not have suspended his account. It is because they are seeing him as a loser. They are also lucky because Trump can fight them dirty if he had won the election”, Oni said.
While some think most Nigerians will not care if the president’s social media accounts are to be suspended, Marcel Chukwu noted that those who service the platforms on behalf of the president, media outlets that visit the platforms to source information, those who visit for scoops for their gossips will care because some people’ s jobs will be at stake.
“When such happens, those who follow him on social media will care, those who don’t will care less,” Chukwu said.
However, most Nigerians do not believe that President Buhari visits his social media handles or services them himself. So, the president will not care if that is the care, as well, nobody will care.
