The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has imposed a fine of N5 million on Channels Television for breaking I broadcast law in a programme that featured Dr Datti Baba-Ahmed, Labour Party Vice Presidential candidate.
The conveyance of this was contained in a letter addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of the television station and dated March 27. The letter was exclusively obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.
The letter titled: “Broadcast of an Inciting Interview, A Sanction”, was signed by Balarabe Ilelah, the commission’s Director-General.
It read in part: “The NBC monitored the broadcast of a live interview of the running mate of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Dr Datti Baba-Ahmed, by the anchor of Politics Today, Seun Okinbaloye, on Wednesday, March 22.
“Dr Baba-Ahmed said it will be unconstitutional to swear in an elected president on May 29, 2023, because of election irregularities,”.
Ilelah noted that the broadcast was volatile, capable of inciting public disorder and therefore violated some sections of the broadcasting code.
This, according to him, includes the section that forbids broadcasts that encourage, incites; is repugnant to public feelings or contain an offensive reference to any person or organisation, alive or dead or generally be disrespectful to human dignity.
Ilelah added that according to the broadcasting code, broadcasters shall ensure that no programme contained anything which amounted to subversion of constituted authority.
He recalled that the NBC had engaged Channels Television severally to consider public interest before any programme is broadcasted.
