A Lagos-based human rights lawyer, Festus Ogun, has dragged Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to court for blocking him on popular microblogging and social networking service, X (formerly Twitter).
Ogun argued that Sanwo-Olu’s action violates his constitutional right to freedom of expression and amounts to censorship by a public official.
Posting a picture of the lawsuit on Friday, wrote on his official X account, Ogun added “I have now sued Sanwo-Olu for blocking me on Twitter. I asked the court to compel him to unblock and apologise to me. Truly, I have gone through mental stress and trauma over this matter, but I will not ask for damages, so I won’t be seen as a gold-digger. Just unblock me.”
The charge read, “Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure (FREP): Let GOVERNOR OF LAGOS STATE of The Secretariat, Obafemi Awolowo Way, Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria, within thirty days after the service of this summons on him, inclusive of the day of such service, cause appearance to be entered for him to this summons which is issued upon the application of FESTUS OGUN of No. 26, Oni Street, Suruiere, Lagos, Nigeria, who seeks the determination of the following questions:
“Whether the literal and/or teleological construction of Sections 37 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and | Peoples’ Right (Ratification and Enforcement) Act 2004 precludes the | Respondent from blocking the Applicant’s X (formerly “Twitter”) account.”
The lawyer asked the court to declare the action unconstitutional, arbitrary, and discriminatory.
According to the lawsuit, Ogun said he sought “a declaration that, as a democratically-elected public office holder in Nigeria, the Respondent (@jidesanwoolu)’s blocking of the Applicant (@mrfestusogun), a citizen of Nigeria and resident of Lagos State, on X (formerly ‘Twitter’) is wrongful, unconstitutional, arbitrary and constitutes a gross.”
Ogun argued that intolerance to opposing views undermines democracy, warning “Intolerance to criticism and accountability is unconstitutional and undemocratic. Nigerian authorities continue to crack down on dissents, critics, journalists, bloggers and vocal citizens on social media using arrests, detention, surveillance, collusion with big techs and outright blocking, as weapons. That narrative must stop,”
