Channels Television, one of Nigeria’s leading television stations, is in hot water following a breach of the Nigerian Broadcasting Code. The President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has taken action against the station, accusing them of allowing their guests to make subversive comments that attacked the integrity of the recent Presidential elections. Tinubu has petitioned the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to sanction Channels TV for violating the broadcasting code.
Tinubu accused Baba Ahmed of making several comments attacking the integrity of the Presidential elections held on February 25, 2023. In the interview, Baba Ahmed faulted the emergence of Tinubu as the President-elect and categorically requested the Chief Justice of Nigeria and President Muhamadu Buhari not to swear him in.
Tinubu noted that the host of the show should have cautioned Baba Ahmed for making such unguarded comments, and for failing to do so, the station should be sanctioned. According to the petition, the guest on the programme in question, Datti Baba-Ahmed, said President Muhammadu Buhari should not swear in the President-elect because he did not score 25% of the vote in the FCT, being one of the prerequisites for being declared the winner.
Tinubu stated that this is a subversive comment since the matter is among the issues submitted in their petition before the tribunal for adjudication.
The petition further noted that the guest’s comments about the Labour Party winning the presidential vote undermine constituted authority given to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the 1999 Constitution as the body vested with the powers to conduct and announce national general elections results in Nigeria.
Tinubu argued that any figures aside, this will have to be certified by a tribunal as the authentic one. Therefore, Mr Datti’s statements that the INEC certificate of return issued to Tinubu is a “dud cheque” and is null and void is not only divisive and subversive but also inciting and inflammatory.
The Nigerian Broadcasting Code states in Section 3.8.1(b) that ‘A Broadcaster shall ensure that no programme contains anything which amounts to subversion of constituted authority or compromises the unity or corporate existence of the nation as a Sovereign state’.
The comment by Mr Datti later on the same programme that if ‘President Buhari should hand over to the President-elect by 29th May, that would be the end of democracy’ is another case of an unguarded statement and a breach of Section 5.3.3(b), which states that – ‘A Broadcaster shall avoid divisive and inflammatory matters in its provocative form in using political material’.
Furthermore, Section 3.0.2.1 said that no Broadcaster shall encourage or incite crime, lead to public hate, disorder, or repugnant to public feelings’ materials that cause disaffection. The petition urged the NBC to invoke the necessary sanctions on Channels Television for the breaches enumerated above.
According to the petition, ”The guest on the programme in question, Datti Baba-Ahmed, said President Muhammadu Buhari should not swear in the President-elect because he did not score 25% of the vote in the FCT, being one of the prerequisites for being declared the winner. This is a subversive comment since the matter is among the issues submitted in their petition before the tribunal for adjudication. Therefore until the court rules otherwise, the status quo is the INEC position as declared in the final results.
”The guest Datti Baba Ahmed’s comments about LP winning the presidential vote undermine constituted authority given to INEC in the 1999 Constitution as the body vested with the powers to conduct and announce national general elections results in Nigeria. Any figures aside, this will have to be certified by a tribunal as the authentic one.
”Therefore, Mr Datti’s statements that the INEC certificate of return issued to Tinubu is a “dud cheque” and is null and void is not only divisive and subversive but also inciting and inflammatory.
”The Code states in Section 3.8.1(b) that ‘A Broadcaster shall ensure that no programme contains anything which amounts to subversion of constituted authority or compromises the unity or corporate existence of the nation as a Sovereign state’.
”The comment by Mr Datti later on the same programme that if ‘President Buhari should hand over to the President-elect by 29th May, that would be the end of democracy’ is another case of unguarded statement and breach of Section 5.3.3(b), which states that – ‘A Broadcaster shall avoid divisive and inflammatory matters in its provocative form in using political material’.
”Furthermore, Section 3.0.2.1 said that no Broadcaster shall encourage or incite crime, lead to public hate, disorder or repugnant to public feelings’ materials that cause disaffection.
“We, therefore, urge NBC to invoke the necessary sanctions on Channels Television for the breaches enumerated above.”
