Astha Rajvanshi, the TIME Staff Writer who wrote President-elect Bola Tinubu’s citation, following his inclusion on the magazine’s list of the world’s 100 most influential people for 2023, has locked her Twitter account.
Rajvanshi locked her account after receiving a barrage of tweets questioning the inclusion of Tinubu on the list, due to the controversies surrounding the Nigerian politician.
To be clear, the Editorial Board of the globally acclaimed magazine decides who makes the list, and writers are just asked to send in their short essays on persons chosen.
Tinubu, who won the recently concluded presidential election, is facing stiff opposition, with his victory being challenged at the election tribunal, and his forfeiture of $460,000 for heroin trafficking proceeds in 1993 resurfacing.
Here are some tweets directed at Rajvanshi:
@IdokoChukueme I am sure the cancellation will start with @astharajvanshi. I trust my people not to fall hands.
This is really sad. Obidients have
apparently harassed @TIME reporter who wrote the BAT #TIME100 profile into locking her Twitter account. What do you guys hope to gain from this terrible & unacceptable behavior? What does a TIME reporter have to do with any of your grievances?— Tolu Ogunlesi (@toluogunlesi) April 13, 2023
Astha has had to lock her account because supporters of @PeterObi are attacking her for writing the @TIME piece on @officialABAT. They are now exporting their fascism abroad. It is my hope that this headless mob will find a head soon, to channel their energy into productive ends pic.twitter.com/KLLHam0wWH
— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) April 13, 2023
@IkukuomaC @astharajvanshi Would you equally support personalities like Bola Amoda Tinubu to lead India in the 21st century? A man everything about him is questionable including his full name and date of birth ? A man that has held Lagos inside his pocket,since 1999 till date.
@justelvis @astharajvanshi please kindly explain to nigerians what metrics you used for this? Is his life all about this election? What about his alleged activities of his past. Care to make a comment on that?
@DrTheodo Poor @astharajvanshi , Nigerians have made her lock all her accounts. Dear Astha Rajvanshi, I hope you understand why Nigerians are at rage with you and the Time Magazine. Bola Tinubu was INDICTED for heroine trafficking and money laundering in Chicago Illinois USA which he had to forfeit the sum of $460,000 for Drug related offences. Now imagine such a person force himself as President for the largest black nation in the world or counted asmost influential, on what bases? @TIME hope lessons have been learnt bcos of next time! Shalom.