:President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki during a farewell meeting with his aides at the National Assembly, Abuja yesterday.
President of the Eighth Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has called on the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), to immediately obey the court order granted by the Federal High Court in Abuja, which called for the maintenance of status quo as of May 31, 2019, pending the determination of a motion filed by DAAR Communications PLC, owners of Raypower Radio and African Independent Television (AIT).
Saraki, in a statement signed by Yusuph Olaniyonu, his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, stated that all such actions that could cast aspersions on Nigeria’s commitment to the freedom of the press must be avoided.
“Yesterday, the management and the workers of AIT and DAAR Communications came to the National Assembly to air out their concerns over the purported moves to clamp down on their stations.
“As yesterday was the valedictory session of the 8th Senate, we could not take action on the matter immediately and to our surprise, the premises of the broadcast station were immediately closed by the NBC.
“Regulators though necessary, must know that all such actions that give the impression of the endangering of the freedom of the press or freedom of speech cast our nation in a bad light. Such issues need to be handled in a better manner.
“Moving forward, the NBC needs to comply with the Court Order. Additionally, we must understand that this is not only about AIT, this is about Nigeria and one of its stations that is not only viewed within the country, but outside the country as well. The NBC should look at a better way to resolve the issue, even after adhering to the ruling of the court
“We must be seen to be a nation that adheres strictly to the rule of law,” Saraki stated.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday ordered the re-opening of African Independent Television (AIT) and Ray Power FM. In the ruling, Justice Ekwo Inyang ordered the parties to maintain status quo as the situation was as at Friday, May 31 when the processes were filed.
Justice Ekwo asked the parties to appear before the court on Thursday, June 13 to show cause why the motion on notice challenging the action of the NBC should not be granted.
In an ex parte application brought by its lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), tAIT Management had on Thursday, June 7 asked the court to order status quo ante bellum pending the determination of the main suit. The matter has been adjourned to Thursday, June 13.
But on June 6, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) announced the suspension of the licences of AIT and Ray Power belonging to the Daar Communications Limited. At a press briefing in Abuja, the NBC director-general, Modibbo Kawu, stated that the media houses’ shutdown was until further notice. The offences listed by the NBC included the airing of a presidential election documentary by the AIT, a matter pending before a tribunal, the inability of the company to pay its fees, the use of “divisive and inciting contents from the social media” among others.
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