Tinubu vs Sowore: X Rejects FG’s Request to Delete Tweet

As the faceoff between Activist and Publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, and President Bola Tinubu over a certain tweet where the activist called the president ‘criminal’ escalates, Sowore has disclosed that social media giant X (formerly Twitter) has turned down a request by Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) to delete the posts, which has been deemed critical of President Bola Tinubu.

In a statement on Sunday, Sowore said the platform officially notified him about the request, which was made through a letter sent by the DSS.

“This morning, X officially contacted me about the despicable threat letter they received from the lawless DSS over my tweet on Tinubu. One option I will not be taking is deleting that tweet. Thank you, X,” Sowore wrote on his verified handle, @YeleSowore.

He also shared the notice from X, which confirmed that the DSS had asked the company to take action against his account for allegedly violating Nigerian law.

However, X stated that it had not taken any action on the post and reiterated its commitment to protecting free expression.

“As X strongly believes in defending and respecting the voice of our users, it is our policy to notify our users if we receive a legal request from an authorised entity (such as law enforcement or a government agency) to remove content from their account,” the platform explained.

Sowore, a former presidential candidate and vocal government critic, has consistently accused the Tinubu administration of targeting him through harassment, arrests, and politically motivated charges.