The APC Presidential Campaign Organization (APCPCO) has warned that the
National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and Advertising Practitioners
Council of Nigeria (APCON), two regulatory agencies of broadcasting and
print advertising respectively are by default promoting violence and hate
following their inability to sanction erring radio and TV stations,
industry players and groups who continuously breach extant laws and
regulations governing activities of the agencies.
The Campaign therefore challenges the NBC to make good its threat to wield
the big stick against erring broadcast stations by applying its Code to
all industry players across board without fear or favor.
The APCPCO made this call following the assurances by the Director General
of NBC to wield the big stick on erring broadcast stations that violate
the Code particularly when it comes to airing of political programs under
this political dispensation.
A statement by the Directorate of Media and Publicity of the APCPCO signed
by Malam Garba Shehu said that as heartwarming as the words of the DG of
the broadcast regulatory body, it must be matched with action if the NBC
is not to be perceived as indirectly helping in promoting a culture of
political violence in the country.
“The NBC has soon forgotten the role it played through its inaction
against some TV Stations when they aired a dirty and false documentary on
General Muhammadu Buhari, presidential candidate of the APC.
“The specific code that these TV stations have contravened is Section
3.1.2 of the NBC Code which states that “materials/statements likely to
incite or encourage the commission of a crime or lead to public disorder
shall not be broadcast.” This is a breach, which attracts severe penalty
of suspension of license or outright withdrawal of the license of that
station, but to the surprise of many industry observers and Nigerians, to
date nothing has been done to the errant Stations,” the APCPCO said.
The APC Campaign said such actions or inactions of the NBC call into
question the neutrality of many government regulatory bodies especially in
an election time like this where the incumbent President is on the ballot.
It condemned the seeming lack of “free hand” by various government
regulatory bodies to call sanction breaches by the Jonathan government,
his ruling PDP and groups associated with them.
The APC Campaign lamented that the situation is also the same with the
Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), the regulatory body
saddled with the responsibility of screening print adverts for
publication and issuing certificate of clearance.
The APC Campaign decried a situation where the PDP and its numerous agents
acting under a blanket cover of immunity or impunity by-pass these steps
and clearances to place their many abhorrent and hateful adverts in
disregard of laid down laws and regulations.