By Aliyu Dangida
HOTPEN – The Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE) has expressed concern over the shutdown of four broadcast stations, saying the action is a threat to democracy.
Hotpen reports that last week, the Zamfara state governor ordered the immediate sealing of some broadcast stations in the state which includes: Federal Government-owned Radio Nigeria’s Pride FM in Gusau, and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Gusau. Others are Gamji Television, Vision FM, and Al Umma Television which are privately owned.
The broadcast stations were shut down for covering a rally held by the PDP Governorship Candidate in the state, Dr. Dauda Lawan Dare.
The state government claimed that the rally was organised despite a ban on campaigns by the state government over the alleged security situation in the state.
However, in a press statement issued on Monday by the umbrella of all the editors in Nigeria, and signed by its President, Mustapha Isah and the General Secretary, Iyobosa Uwugiaren, described the action as illegal and a violation of the Nigeria constitution and other international instruments.
The Guild stated that, the only government agency mandated with the constitutional power of regulating the broadcast stations or determining any infraction in the conduct of the broadcasting industry, is the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
‘’While the NGE doesn’t even want to go into the illegality of the ban on political activities in that state, our primary concern here is the unlawful and unconstitutional action of the state governor against the affected stations for carrying out their constitutional and social obligations of reporting events and keeping the citizens informed of political developments in the state.
‘’In fact, the shutting down stations would have been accused of unprofessional misconduct if they didn’t cover that rally. We are also encouraged by the fact that the regulatory agency of broadcasting, the NBC, has also condemned the unlawful action of Governor Bello Matawalle’’, the NGE added.
Condemning the actions of the governor in its entirety, the editors said the governor’s action is a serious threat to the democratic process and democracy, saying it is a precarious signal to what awaits the media, ahead of the 2023 general elections.
According to the NGE, ‘’The media reserves the right to cover all events, whether or not they are banned. No state government reserves the right to shut down any media house, despite their perceived infractions.
‘’In this case, the Zamfara State governor should have written a petition to the NBC, if at all the affected stations committed any infraction, instead of resorting to self-help.
‘’The Guild stands for press freedom and freedom of expression and will always speak out against any attempt to muzzle the media.’’
The editors explained further that the human right most closely related to the media is undoubtedly the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
It said that freedom of expression, as upheld in the constitution and human rights instruments, covers the right to receive or impart information.
Describing the media as the ‘’oxygen of democracy’’, the NGE reiterated its earlier position that the media is not an opponent of any government; but a professional institution charged with the constitutional obligation of monitoring the activities of the government and holding it accountable to the citizens.