The regulating body of broadcast organizations in Nigeria, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has threatened to sanction Channels Television over an interview granted by Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State.
The threat followed an interview the Governor granted Channels Television Ortom on Tuesday in which he described President Muhammadu Buhari as nepotism, and with hidden agenda as well as the worst in terms of insecurity.
“Mr. President is pushing me to think that what they say about him, that he has a hidden agenda in this country is true. Because it is very clear that he wants to Fulanise the country, but he is not the first Fulani president.”
“Shagari was a Fulani President, Yar’ Adua was a Fulani President, and they were the best in history. But President Buhari is the worst President when it comes to issues of security and keeping his promises,” Ortom said.
In a letter dated August 24, 2021, Balarabe Shehu Illela, Director-General of the NBC, asked Channels Television to explain why sanctions should not be taken against it for broadcasting a programme capable of inciting violence.
The commission, which gave Channels 24 hours to respond to its query, said the television station clearly breached the NBC code.
“The National Broadcasting Commission monitored the broadcast of your programme Sunrise Daily between 7am and 9am on Tuesday, August 24, 2021.
The programme which has as a guest the Executive Governor of Benue State, Governor Samuel Ortom, was observed to contain inciting, divisive and unfair comments which were not thoroughly interrogated by the anchors.”
“These negate the following provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code; Section 1.10.4: The Broadcaster shall ensure that its Presenter….shall handle it with professionalism and sound judgement to ensure that it does not loose focus or lead to unfair treatment or institution.
“Section 3.1.1: “No broadcast shall encourage to incite to crime, lead to public disorder or hate, be repugnant to public feelings or contain offensive reference or organization alive or dead…..
“The broadcaster shall not transmit a program that incites or likely to incite to violence among the populace, causing mass panic political and social upheaval, security breach and general social disorder consequently, channels television required to explain why appropriate sanctions should not be applied for these infractions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code. Your response should reach the commission within 24hours of this receipt.”
Malam Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, reacted to Ortom’s allegations, accusing him of inciting the country.
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