Nigeria's Twitter ban indicates that the ruling party is anti-democratic – Soyinka

Professor Wole Soyinka, a Nobel Laureate, has argued that the Federal Government's ban on Twitter, a microblogging and social networking website, shows that the current administration is anti-democratic.

On Monday, Soyinka gave an interview to Arise TV.

Remember that Lai Mohammed, Nigeria's Minister of Information and Tourism, said earlier this month that Twitter's operations in the country will be suspended indefinitely.

Because of "the recurrent use of the platform for activities that are potential of undermining Nigeria's corporate existence," Mohammed said the Federal Government was forced to act.

Twitter's suspension has sparked widespread outrage, with many Nigerians condemning the decision.

“By truncating various channels of expression open to any populace, you are actually abrogating the very essence of democracy,” Soyinka said in response to the development.

Democracy isn't a series of events or a symbolic gesture commemorated on June 12th as Democracy Day.

“When any channel of people's self-expression is stifled, you become a direct enemy of democracy. ”