Sheikh Gumi urges President Buhari to be mature in accepting criticisms

Popular Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, on Saturday called on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to be mature in accepting criticisms.

Gumi made the call while reacting to the ban on Twitter by the Federal Government.

Speaking with newsmen, Gumi said the Buhari-led government should “have a wide chest” in accepting criticisms from Nigerians.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, had disclosed the ban on Twitter yesterday.

Addressing a press conference, Mohammed had said the Nigerian government suspended Twitter’s operation in the country because Nigerians were using the platform for activities that threatened the country’s existence.

Newsmen observed that Twitter was banned less than 72 hours after the micro-blogging site deleted a war inciting tweet by the President.

Reacting to the ban, Gumi warned that the Nigerian government cannot fight the media.

He stressed that social media platforms have allowed both the government and the citizens to always state their sides on issues.

According to Gumi: “The Federal Government should show more maturity in its actions, they can’t fight the media. The Federal Government should have a wide chest to accept criticism.

“They should not fight the media; platforms like Twitter, Facebook and other social media have given people the opportunity to hear from both sides.

“The Federal Government should try to be honest, frank and to engage. Government should have a wide chest not to allow delinquent youths to anger it into massacring people. The government should express such maturity to allow criticism and act accordingly.”

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