The Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) have faulted the Zamfara State government’s shutting down of broadcast houses.
The Zamfara government had on Saturday shut down the stations for covering the political event of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP governorship candidate Dauda Lawal.
But in separate reactions, the bodies said the move is uncalled for.
“The National Broadcasting Commission has noted with serious concern the illegal action of Zamfara State Government by directing the shutdown of operations of licensees of the Commission in the State, on Saturday, October 15, 2022,” the Director-General of the NBC, Balarabe Illela, said.
“The NBC has clearly notified the State Government of the gravity of the illegality and requested it to expeditiously reverse the directive and apologize to the people of the State.
“We also urge the Security Agencies to ignore the call to restrict Staff of the affected Stations from conducting their legitimate duties.
“The Commission wishes to further emphasize that it will resist ANY attempt to cause a breach of law and order ANYWHERE through the misuse of the broadcast media in Nigeria, before, during, and after the 2023 national elections.
“We call on ALL industry stakeholders to resist ANY attempt to truncate the hard-earned democratic gains in Nigeria
“ANY aggrieved Person or Institution with genuine complaints) arising from unprofessional conduct or action by ANY licensed broadcaster in Nigeria is hereby requested to follow the laid down processes enshrined in the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
“The Commission will not relent to discharge its mandate according to the NBC Act, CAP. NII, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. All broadcast license holders are urged to ensure strict compliance and avoid ANY action inimical to democratic governance and peaceful coexistence in Nigeria.
“Kindly extend the warmest high regards and assurances of the Director-General and the Board of management of the NBC, to ALL Nigerians.”
On its part, BON said it received the development with disbelief.
“The Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria(BON) has received with TOTAL shock and disbelief the order made by the Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle to shutdown Federal and private broadcast media houses in Zamfara State,” BON said in a statement by its Executive Secretary Yemisi Bamgbose.
“We hasten to state that the Governor not only lacks the constitutional power to issue such an order, the order is also an arbitrary and a naked abuse and misuse of executive power.
“The power to licence or withdraw the licence of a broadcast media is vested in the National Broadcasting Commission established by an Act of Parliament. Even at that, the Constitution and the Act did not give any room for arbitrariness in the exercise of the power to impose sanctions talk less of closure of broadcast media on any agency or any level of government including the Federal Government, without following the laid down procedure and seeking an order from a court of competent jurisdiction. This position of the law has been upheld by the law courts at various times.
“The closure of the Federal and private broadcast media by the Governor is equally an affront against the Electoral Act 2022 which should be curbed immediately before it destroys our nascent democracy. “
