Nigerian Twitter users were some what entertained as Senator Ben Murray-Bruce and online news platform, Sahara Reporters had an interesting yet subtly-heated Twitter spat.
The tweet war of words resulted from the proposed bill by the Senate which passed the second reading a few days ago and has since met with strong resistance from Nigerians, who are opposed to the prospective law.
Perhaps, owing to his outspokenness on social media and his ‘common-man advocate’ persona, Sahara Reporters chose to call out Senator Bruce (PDP) on the bill, which was sponsored by Senator Ibn Na’Allah (APC).
The conversation thus began:
@benmurraybruce We’re shocked that you knew of this bill and that it even passed a 2nd reading and you’ve never mentioned or opposed it
— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) December 2, 2015
1-I dont know what the intention behind @SaharaReporters‘ story is but there was no vote on the alleged bill and I never participated in it.
— Ben Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce) December 2, 2015
Alerted to the attacks, the Senator responded
2-How @SaharaReporters or anybody for that matter would try to pin a bill on me that I didn’t vote for or help draft beats my imagination!
— Ben Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce) December 2, 2015
3-I can only call on @SaharaReporters to investigate and be responsible before making false allegations on me or on anyone for that matter.
— Ben Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce) December 2, 2015
4-I believe in free speech which I’ve promoted as a media owner and its very sad that @SaharaReporters would choose to publish such untruth.
— Ben Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce) December 2, 2015
@SaharaReporters I am equally shocked you could publish lies about me when I am available for you to verify information before publication!
— Ben Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce) December 2, 2015
So did Sahara Reporters
@benmurraybruce There was no lie, we tweeted that you’re aware of this devious bill and that you never mentioned or alerted the public
— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) December 2, 2015
@benmurraybruce You’ve have not denied that you knew of bill but turned a blind eye!
— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) December 2, 2015
@benmurraybruce You show us any of your tweet(s) where you alerted the public to this devious bill until today.
— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) December 2, 2015
@SaharaReporters Please don’t change the goal post. You wrote that I helped push the bill to second reading. First admit that you lied.
— Ben Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce) December 2, 2015
@SaharaReporters You cant just wake up and manufacture lies about me and when caught you begin to shift the goal post. Admit it and move on!
— Ben Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce) December 2, 2015
@benmurraybruce You have a comprehension problem Senator, if you conceal info about an act harmful to public interest, you’re equally bad!
— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) December 2, 2015
@SaharaReportershttps://t.co/zeHXAdDqzn this is your tweet. It is a vicious lie. You said I helped passed the bill to 2nd reading. A lie!
— Ben Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce) December 2, 2015
@SaharaReporters Do not change the goal post. You lied against me. Be honorable enough to admit it and apologize https://t.co/zeHXAdDqzn
— Ben Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce) December 2, 2015
@benmurraybruce Senator Bruce, please what time today did you learn about this bill?
— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) December 2, 2015
@benmurraybruce You have a comprehension problem Senator, if you conceal info about an act harmful to public interest, you’re equally bad!
— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) December 2, 2015
@benmurraybruce Senator Bruce, please what time today did you learn about this bill?
— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) December 2, 2015
@SaharaReporters Before you ask me any questions, first admit that you lied and apologize for that. Then I promise to answer all questions.
— Ben Murray-Bruce (@benmurraybruce) December 2, 2015
@benmurraybruce We are not interested in interviewing you, we’re just calling you out because you hypocritically claim to support the masses
— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) December 2, 2015
@benmurraybruce You asked at the beginning of this conversation our “intention”, now you know, we wanted to call you out on this issue.
— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) December 2, 2015
