Date Published: 10/24/09

Yar'Adua threatens to shut down AIT

…Summons Dokpesi over “Focus Nigeria”

Chief Raymond Dokpesi

President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has threatened to revoke the operational license of Africa Independent Television, AIT over what officials described as “threat to national security” from the stations talk program “Focus Nigeria.”

Sequel to this threat, AIT boss, Raymond Dokpesi directed that Aruleba be removed, and the contents of the program about government policies tilted in the administration’s favor.

Sources told pointblanknews.com that Dopkesi who was summoned to the Presidential Villa hurriedly made the change to avoid another visit from security operatives. The AIT was invaded some time last year, and the same Aruleba whisked away by SSS agents over an interview he had with Senator Joseph Waku.

Last week the program had a new host, Tunde Adewale.

“Focus Nigeria” a popular talk show program which was introduced by the station in January 2006 runs from 10.00am to 11.00am Monday to Friday x-rays issues in Nigeria and anchored by Gbenga Mike Aruleba.

Presidency sources say the Program is considered too critical of the Government of President Yar’Adua, even though government officials are often invited to defend policies.

Pointblanknews.com gathered that the Chairman and CEO of the television station, Chief Raymond Dokpesi was few days ago invited by the Presidency where he was roundly rebuked and accused of using his television station to “misinform and incite the Nigerian people against the administration of President Yar’Adua.”

Sources within the Presidential Villa told pointblanknews.com that the President was visibly angry that he promised to ensure that the Station is not just shut down but its operational license and the Television rights it was granted to air the FIFA U-17 World Cup equally revoked.

According to a source “the president gave them conditions which include stopping the program, changing the anchorman or losing their operational license and this time the president is very serious because this is not the first time he has complained about AIT.”

The source added that the President was particularly piqued by the way and manner the Program anchorman, Aruleba conducts the program and the types of comments and innuendos used during the program which tend to characterize the Yar’Adua’s presidency inept and corrupt.

Aruleba is not new to arrest and controversy. On June 14, 2006, operatives of the State Security Service (SSS), Nigeria's intelligence agency, invaded the premises of the country's largest private television network, (AIT), in Abuja and arrested Aruleba.

Initially, it was not clear why Aruleba was arrested as it was believed to be connected with an interview he granted a former senator, Joseph Waku, which was aired on the "Focus Nigeria" program the previous day, June 13.  Senator Waku had harshly criticized the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo during the interview.

Aruleba was released conditionally late on June 15 after he reportedly embarked on a hunger strike to protest his detention, but was asked to report back to the SSS office on  June 19.

On 14 May 2006, SSS agents raided the same Abuja office of AIT and seized the master tape of a 30-minute documentary advert on failed attempts by various past Nigerian heads of state to prolong their tenure in office.  Nigeria's National Assembly was then debating a controversial proposal to amend the 1999 Constitution in order, among other things, to extend the tenure of the President and state governors by a further four years.