The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the N3 million fine imposed by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) on three major TV stations in the country is an attempt to gag the media and censure free speech.
The party stated this in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan.
Recall that NBC Director-General, Prof. Armstrong Idachaba announced the fine imposed on Channels TV, AIT and Arise TV on Monday over alleged “unprofessional coverage” of the EndSARS protests.
“The PDP asserts that the rush to impose monetary fines on the television stations by the National Broadcast Commission (NBC), smacks of a fresh attempt to further gag the media, suppress free speech and Nigerians’ access to information.
“Indeed, this clampdown on broadcast stations, if anything, has heightened widespread public apprehensions of attempts at concealments of details and suppression of material evidence relating to human rights violations during the protest.
“In fact, this display of high-handedness by the NBC has hugely detracted from the efforts being made by well-meaning Nigerians to douse the tension in the land and reassure Nigerians at this critical time.
“The NBC should rescind this rushed clampdown and handle its regulatory role more professionally.
“Our party holds that, in the course of information handling, especially in a crisis situation as we witnessed in the last two weeks, where caution is required, draconian measures should not be an option. Rather, all efforts should be towards national healing.
“Instead of seeking to gag the media, Nigerians would rather expect establishments like the NBC to be on the side of the people by urging government agencies to come up with information, particularly, such that contain critical pieces of evidence that would guarantee justice for victims of brutality by unscrupulous security operatives.
“While the PDP calls for caution by all Nigerians, especially in the handling of information, we urge agencies of government to be mindful of actions that are capable of acerbating the already precarious situation in which we have found ourselves.
“The PDP restates its call for calm and restrain in the general interest of the unity and stability of our nation,” the statement read in part.