SERAP in a message posted on its official Twitter handle on Wednesday said the “Buhari administration must immediately withdraw the reported threat to sanction TV and radio stations for ‘provocative and speculative broadcasts’ ahead of the 2023 general elections”.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari administration to immediately withdraw its threat to sanction TV and radio stations over ‘fake news, fake broadcasts’.
SERAP in a message posted on its official Twitter handle on Wednesday said the “Buhari administration must immediately withdraw the reported threat to sanction TV and radio stations for ‘provocative and speculative broadcasts’ ahead of the 2023 general elections”.
“We'll take legal action if the stations are ever sanctioned for doing their jobs,” the group added.
Nigeran government earlier on Wednesday warned television and radio stations against what it described as fake news, hate, provocative and speculative broadcasts as Nigeria approaches the 2023 general elections.
It threatened to sanction erring broadcasters.
Also, the National Broadcasting Commission said it was ready to publish the names of broadcasters owing the commission licence fees and other debts.
The Director-General, NBC, Balarabe Ilelah, disclosed this known in Abuja on Tuesday at the Broadcasting Media Digital Convention/76th General Assembly of Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria jointly organised by BON, Broadcast Media Africa and Multichoice Nigeria Limited.
Ilelah said, “Another task ahead is ensuring successful electoral processes and conducts come 2023 general elections.
“Stations are warned to desist from encouraging and allowing the use of their platforms for fake news, hate, provocative and speculative broadcasts. The commission will not hesitate to sanction any violation of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, accordingly.”
Similarly, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, in his address, appealed to the media to continue providing accurate and verified information that will promote the unity of the country and deepen its democracy.
Mohammed said, “Now that the politicking has started prelude to the 2023 general election, the media, as the fourth estate of the realm, must adhere strictly to the rules as stipulated in NBC Code and other statutes, including the newly passed Electoral Act.
“The broadcast media should help in combating the menace of fake news by disseminating correct information to the public and provide necessary feedback from the public to the government.”
It must be noted that the All Progressives Congress, as the main opposition party ahead of the 2015 presidential election that brought Buhari into power, threw caution to the wind and made many unsubstantiated allegations against the then President, Goodluck Jonathan.
The smear campaign, led by its national spokesperson, Lai Mohammed (current information and culture minister), demonised Jonathan but the then government did not clamp down on the opposition despite its campaign of calumny.
Some Nigerians have expressed the opinion that the Buhari government is desperate to clamp down on the opposition ahead of the 2023 elections, to prevent opposition parties and critics of the government from exposing its failures and having the kind of freedom the APC had as an opposition party.