January 22, 2014 – Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola has appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to prevail on the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) to restore the SMS 35350 which he said was shut down at 2:30 PM on Wednesday.
SMS 35350 is one of the platforms the All Progressive Congress (APC) is using to raise fund for the General Muhammadu Buhari and Professor Yemi Osinbajo Campaign.
Fashola who is also Director of General Muhammadu Buhari and Professor Yemi Osinbajo Fund Raising Committee said at a press conference that the NCC issued a letter to telecommunications agencies directing them not to carry political messages a day before he addressed the press outlining measures that the party intends to use to raise fund for the campaign.
He called on the President to act in line with the Peace Accord which he signed with the 13 other Presidential candidates in Abuja by restoring the platform.
The governor explained that the 35350 SMS platform allows Nigerians to donate N100 to the APCGMBPYO campaign, adding that he received about 5,400 text messages at the rate of 4 to 5 text messages per minute immediately the platform was launched.
Fashola said the shutdown is already impacting negatively on efforts of the party to raise money to fund the campaign.
He described the development as an act of intolerance of opposition and challenged the President to redeem his democratic credentials by prevailing on the NCC to rescind the decision.
He said that the NCC granted the same privilege to the Jonathan Sambo Campaign organisation in 2010 and wondered why the reverse is now the case.
Notwithstanding the shutdown, he said the change campaign has gone beyond the party adding that it has become a movement in Nigeria.
Fashola said the party is exploring other options including legal means to address the anomaly.
