Speaking at the Social Media Week in Lagos, (#SMWLagos). Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki expressed delight at the impact made by social media users on “national and political issues” in Nigeria. He urged them not to cease from dialogue and contributions that would further foster national growth.
The Senate President stated that: “Without the involvement of social medi a, there is no way that we would have moved from a non-performing government — because now everything is out in the open unlike years ago.”
He went on to applaud the contributions of the online community, at the just concluded general elections, citing the impact they made to reduce manipulation of results to the barest minimum, by posting results online as elections progressed. Referring to them as the actual ‘Chairmen of INEC’. “Though we had the numbers,” Saraki said, “It is really thanks to social media that votes counted because you shared the results as they happened.”
Furthermore, Saraki promised that the Section 4 of frivolous petition Bill known as Anti-Social Media Bill would not be passed into law by the legislature. He assured the audience at #SMWLagos that the campaign for the #OpenNASS would take effect very soon, to give room for transparency and accountability in the National Assembly.
Also, Senate President went on to assure Nigerians that CSOs would be involved in budget hearing process come 2017 under the hashtag #NASSEngages.
