Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project on Monday vowed to sue the Federal Government over its decision to suspend Channels Television’s Politics Today programme.
National Broadcasting Commission had stopped Politics Today on Channels Television following an interview with the spokesperson of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Emma Powerful.
The acting Director-General of NBC, Prof. Armstrong Idachaba, conveyed the sanction in a letter to the Managing Director of Channels TV titled, ‘Inciting comments by proscribed group: Politics Today.’
According to him, the IPOB leader made several secessionist and inciting declarations on air without being cautioned by Channels TV.
In reaction to this, SERAP in a statement by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, advised the Federal Government to reverse the order or face legal action.Part of the SERAP statement read: “This is a new low in Nigeria’s protection of freedom of expression, and the ability of independent media to function in the country. The suspension of Channels Television is detrimental to media freedom, and access to information, and the Federal Government and NBC must immediately reverse the decision.”
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Guild of Editors has condemned the threat to Channels Television by the NBC.
In a statement by its President, Mustapha Isah, and Secretary, Mary Atolagbe, the Guild said it would go to any length to ensure press freedom in the country.NGE said, “The body of editors believes that the NBC is guilty of double standards because stations that carried Sheikh Gumi’s parley with terrorists in their camps were not sanctioned by the commission.
“The NBC should jettison the practice of issuing threats to broadcast stations over matters that could easily be dealt with through dialogue.”