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A Lagos-based lawyer has filed a suit against Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the Federal High Court, alleging a violation of his constitutional rights after being blocked on the governor’s verified X (formerly Twitter) account, @jidesanwoolu.
The lawyer, who resides and practises law in Lagos, told the court that the governor’s action amounts to censorship, discrimination, and an affront to his right to freedom of expression as guaranteed under the Nigerian Constitution.
He explained that in 2021, he discovered that Sanwo-Olu had blocked him on X after he posted critical comments demanding accountability for the October 2020 #EndSARS massacre, which occurred under the governor’s watch.
The lawyer further argued that the governor’s decision to single him out for blocking due to criticism of his administration amounts to discrimination on the grounds of political opinion, which is also unconstitutional.
In his suit, the claimant urged the Nigerian court to adopt the reasoning of the United States District Court in Knight First Amendment Institute v. Trump, where then-President Donald Trump was held to have violated the First Amendment by blocking U.S. citizens from his Twitter page for criticising him.
The lawyer also said he has been “haunted, traumatized, and emotionally disturbed” by the knowledge that the governor of Lagos State, where he lives and works, has deliberately targeted him on social media.
According to him, the lawsuit is not merely a personal fight but a matter of public interest meant to set a precedent for digital rights jurisprudence in Nigeria.
The lawyer also condemned what he described as a growing culture of repression in Nigeria, where authorities target critics, journalists, and activists online.
The statement reads in part: “I have filed a lawsuit at the Federal High Court against the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for blocking me on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle.
“In 2021, I noticed that the Governor blocked me on his official X handle @jidesanwoolu owing to my constructive criticisms of his policies and demand for accountability in respect of the October 2020 #EndSARS Massacre that was perpetrated under his watch.
“It is my case that blocking me on X has prevented me from accessing public updates and receiving information about policies and governance in Lagos (since he uses the X account to post only official, policies, and governance matters), which constitutes a violation of my right to receive information without interference, subsumed under the right to freedom of expression.
“Also, by blocking me owing to my criticism of his administration and my demand for transparency, the Governor has violated my fundamental rights to freedom from discrimination on the basis of political viewpoint or opinion.
“I invited the Nigerian court to be persuaded by the decision of the U.S. District Court in Knight First Amendment Institute v. Trump, where President Trump was found to be in violation of the First Amendment when he blocked U.S. citizens for criticising him on Twitter.”
According to him, “intolerance to criticism and accountability is unconstitutional and undemocratic”.
“This suit is not just about me. I have filed this lawsuit in furtherance of public interest and
Source: Tori.ng | Read Full Story…
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