Channels TV: Reps condemn FG’s ‘toxic push’ against press freedom

House of Representatives Minority Caucus has described the alleged harassment of Channels Television and its staff as a toxic push against press freedom and citizens’ rights.

This follows the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) issue of a notice of infraction against the management of Channels Television over two recent interviews granted to some personalities in the country which were deemed to be heavily critical of government.

In addition, two presenters of the broadcast station, Chamberlain Usoh and Kayode Okikiolu, were also reportedly and forcefully summoned to the office of the NBC over their roles in the said interviews.

It would be recalled that a Military Intelligence expert, Navy Commodore Kunle Olawunmi (rtd), had while featuring as a guest on the Channels TV morning programme, ‘Sunrise Daily, Wednesday, accused the present government of Nigeria of shielding known sponsors of terrorism and financially backing Boko Haram insurgents, as he further lamented that efforts to prosecute them have been blocked by serving members of the Buhari administration.

A day earlier, Tuesday, Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom had also appeared as guest o the same programme where he accused President Muhamadu Buhari of ‘Fulanisation agenda’ using the open grazing campaign.

According to Human rights campaigner and former Chairman of Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Chidi Odinkalu, the Channels Television presenters have been summoned to Abuja office of the NBC.

The activist who announced this via his Twitter account, Thursday, wrote: ”There is confirmation that @nbcgovng has summoned the presenters of @sunrisedailynow for this morning.”

NBC also queried the Channels Television over the interview granted to Governor Ortom.

In the query, NBC gave Channels TV 24 hours to explain why it should not be sanctioned for comments made by Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, on its ‘Sunrise Daily’ television programme on Tuesday.

In a query letter addressed to Channels TV’s managing director, the broadcast regulator accused the TV station of failing to handle with professionalism the “inciting, divisive and unfair comments” made on the programme by Governor Ortom.

In the letter titled; “NOTICE OF INFRACTION” and dated August 24, 2021, the NBC said the governor’s comments “were not thoroughly interrogated by the anchors” and hence violated provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.

Similarly, RevolutionNow convener, and rights activist, Omoyele Sowore revealed via his Facebook post that President Buhari has indeed ordered the NBC to suspend operations of Channels Television over the interviews granted to Ortom and Olawunmi.

“Criminal Muhammadu Buhari reportedly orders NBC to go after Channels Television licence to be suspended by the Federal Govt of Nigeria over interview of Gov. Ortom and Retired Naval Commodore Kunle Olawunmi.

“Reportedly Ordered for the arrest of Chamberlain Usoh, Co-Host on Sunrise Daily and his colleagues, anchors of the program at Channels.

“They are to be brought to Abuja tomorrow! Let’s be vigilant and stand with these journalists.

“Muhammadu Buhari will be defeated and ultimately disgraced out of power,” Sowore’s post read.

However, reacting to the development, the Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives in a statement by its Leader, Ndudi Elumelu, condemned the action of NBC.

The lawmakers frowned at the growing clampdown on the media and the lack of neutrality on the part of the regulatory agency.

“The Minority caucus frowns at the growing clampdown on the media as well as the lack of professionalism and neutrality on the part of the regulatory agency under the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government.

“As lawmakers, we hold that rather than try to muffle the media, the broadcast regulator should have directed the television station to avail the Federal Government the opportunity to refute, with facts, the statements of Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State during the Sunrise Daily programme, which it considered critical or misrepresentation of the government.

“The commandeering of Channels Television presenters to NBC’s headquarters in Abuja, the query of television outfit, and the unrelenting intimidation of independent broadcast media outfits by the NBC is most inauspicious.

“Section 14 (2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution is very clear that the security of lives and property is the primary purpose of government. The same Constitution also vests all the security agencies and legitimate instruments of coercion solely in the Federal Government.

“Therefore, when criminal cartels freely prowl and plunder the citizens, with the Federal Government showing manifest failure to step up to discharge its constitutional obligations, why should any reasonable government try to muffle the media in their constitutional role in the collective effort to salvage the situation, including the carnage going on in Benue State?

“The Minority caucus points the Federal Government to the call by the Governor of Mr. President’s home state, Hon. Bello Masari, on people of Katsina State to defend themselves, and wonders how such is different from the attempt by Governor Ortom to hold the Federal Government to account on the failure to check the killings in his state. Both confirm the total breakdown of security in the land.

“Our caucus insists that when bloody bandits and terrorists find their ways into an elite military training institution like the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), it presupposes nothing else but a brutal violation of our sovereignty and an unedited collapse of government and security.

“In that regard, the Federal Government should take steps to reassure the people rather than trying to muffle information. As representatives of the people, the Minority caucus reminds the NBC the need to stick to professionalism and patriotism in the discharge of duties, urges the Federal Government to desist from engaging in activities that give the citizens the impression that it is always trying to cover up facts.

“The NBC should not promote the suppression of the truth. It should bear in mind that there cannot be any NBC without a Nigeria. It is also high time the NBC eschews partisanship and also understand that regulation does not presuppose the suppression of truth, but the promotion of it,” the statement read.