SHUTDOWN OF AIT: Attempt by Buhari govt to stifle the media, initiate fascism – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the shutdown of Africa Independent Television (AIT) by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

The party described it as an attempt by President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led Federal Government to stifle the media, an act it said amounts to inviting “fascism” in the country.

NBC had on Thursday suspended the licence of Daar Communications, the company that operates AIT and Raypower over claims that it failed to abide by Nigerian Broadcasting Code.

According to the director-general of NBC, Malam Is’haq Modibbo-Kawu, NBC had over the last two years summoned the management of the company to address issues regarding the operations of AIT and Raypower, particularly Political Platform and Kakaaki, but that the issues were not addressed.

Responding to the development in a statement by its national spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP said it was evident that the attack on AIT is targeted at “intimidating and gagging the media, repress constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech and stifle public opinion, particularly as related to the determination by Nigerians to retrieve the stolen Presidential mandate at the tribunal.”

The statement read, “This clamp down on AIT as well as earlier siege on other media houses and journalists under the APC administration, ostensibly point to a plot to frighten and asphyxiate the media, shut down outlets perceived to hold dissenting views and ultimately foist a siege mentality on our citizenry to restrain their demand for fairness and justice in the polity.

“The APC is mortally afraid that a free press will raise the red flag and expose its manipulations and any attempt to subvert the course of justice, especially in the Presidential petition, hence this desperation to strangulate the media and cow Nigerians from freely expressing themselves.

“Moreover, the PDP invites Nigerians to note that the Director-General of the NBC, Ishaq Modibbo Kawu, is a card carrying member and frontline leader in the APC who was also an aspirant on the platform of the party for the governorship of Kwara State.

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“The PDP notes that there can be no democracy without a free press. To stifle the media is an invitation to fascism and a return to the era of obnoxious military Decrees 2 and 4, which must be resisted by all.

“Our party therefore calls on Nigerians and the International community to unite in condemning this desperation to gag the media and repress free speech in Nigeria.”

 

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