Nigeria’s President-elect, Bola Tinubu, has defended free speech on social media, as he dared his critics to continue saying whatever they like on various platforms online.
Politics Nigeria gathered that Tinubu made the remarks during a banquet in his honour on Wednesday night. He revisited what he called a banter with the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, over the cost of flyovers constructed in Rivers.
The President-elect explained that he could not make any commitment to refund the cost of the flyovers until he was sworn in as the President. He insisted that his reason for telling Governor Wike this was not to start an argument but to avoid making promises he couldn’t keep.
Tinubu acknowledged that the exchange between himself and Wike had generated a lot of reactions on social media. However, he stated that there was no name he had not been called on social media, but he does not respond to social media criticisms.
He said, “I exchanged a banter with Gov Wike, if you take me seriously, (it’s left to you). The truth is, I’m a President-elect. I have no signature for expenditure until sworn in. How can I make a commitment? I cannot sign a dime of Nigeria money or expenditure now. There can only be one president at a time.
“If you ask me to go and commit to things that are mere expectations and cannot be fulfilled, I believe in fulfilling promises, that’s why I’m here. And we have to do it for Nigeria. I thank you all for the support you gave me during the election, but I’m still on a countdown.
“If I sign anything for you now and commit to it, I can’t pay. For that flyover, how can I pay, personal? That’s not realistic.
“I hope that clears the social media fears. I don’t respond to (social media talks). There is no name they’ve not called me on (social media). It’s a free speech society and around the world.”
