Don’t Shut Down Internet Ahead Of 2023 General Election, PIN Tells Federal Govt

A pan-African social enterprise working to advance digital rights and inclusion in Africa, Paradigm Initiative (PIN) has urged the federal government not to suspend the operation of any social media platform or internet ahead of the 2023 general election to ensure credibility.

PIN noted that elections are fundamental components of democracy, allowing citizens to choose their leaders and hold them accountable for their actions.

The federal government had announced the suspension of Twitter operations on June 4, 2021, after the social media giant deleted a post by President Buhari for “violation of the company’s abusive behaviour policy.”

The senior manager, strategy at PIN, Adeboye Adegoke while addressing newsmen on the sideline of Digital Rights and Elections in Africa Meeting (DREAM) – Nigeria in Abuja yesterday, noted that if the government shut down the internet, that means people would not have access to alternative news, except maybe what the government is saying.

He said such moves are going to impact the credibility of the election.

“So, one of the ways to ensure credibility of elections is to ensure that the platform of communication will remain open so that people can have trust in whatever information that is coming from.

“It’s a very simple thing. I’m in my polling units. I see what is happening there. I should be able to verify the results if it matches what was declared. If it’s different from what I saw, I knew that something had happened,” he said.

Also, the programme officer, Sani Suleiman, while addressing newsmen said the significance of preserving digital rights during elections in the current digital landscape cannot be over-emphasized.

Suleiman said it is imperative that the fundamental digital rights of citizens, including access to information, freedom of expression, privacy, and data protection, are safeguarded before, during, and after election periods.

“To address these challenges, Paradigm Initiative launched RIPOTI in 2021 as a platform for reporting and monitoring digital rights violations in Africa. RIPOTI offers a secure and confidential space for individuals to report violations, ensuring their voices are heard, and their rights are protected,” he said.

He noted, PIN is also excited to introduce AYETA, an online toolkit for digital security that is designed to help provide users with a suite of tools and resources they need to protect their online privacy and security.

“This is particularly important in the run-up to the Nigerian election, where access to information and the ability to communicate freely online is essential for a transparent election process.

“The primary goal of the AYETA toolkit is to address the growing need to safeguard digital rights defenders, journalists, whistle-blowers, and others working with sensitive information in the country and Africa at large,” he added.