Fascism: HURIWA Accuses National Broadcasting Commission
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has alleged that the move by the head of National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to stifle freedom of expression and his open, brazen and toxic attempts to control the media contents of broadcast houses was symptomatic of a failed state ruled by brute force.
The rights group argued that eternal vigilance was the price of liberty, thereby tasking Nigerians to stand up, take steps legally to prevent the collapse of civil rule and constitutional democracy in Nigeria, it alleged was the objective of the current head of the NBC.
HURIWA stated this against the backdrops of unwarranted attacks of media pluralism, freedom of expression and other constitutional rights by the NBC.
It further stated that the alleged intermittent threats and impositions of unmerited and unconstitutional fines and other untoward administrative sanctions on private broadcasting stations in Nigeria by the NBC was breeding fascism, muzzling constitutionally guaranteed freedoms and ultimately promoting political killings, intolerance of opposing views and could imperil the sustenance of democracy and constitutionalism.
Besides HURIWA described the NBC and the Information and Culture Minister, Mr. Lai Mohammed as the two most dangerous threats to the survival of civil rule in Nigeria, describing the duo as agents of destabilisation and constitutionalism.
In a statement by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, the group also castigated the minister of information and culture, for instituting a culture of fascism, dictatorship through his recent diatribe against opposition leader in Nigeria and presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Gregory Obi.
HURIWA cautioned the Minister of Information and Culture to stop overheating the polity and actively attempting to start off a civil war in Nigeria by his unguarded statements.
Warning that the combined threats targeting private television stations by the NBC and the dissemination of crass falsehoods and cheap propaganda against opponents of the ruling All Progressive Congress and those opposed to the outcome of the February 25th, 2023 presidential poll was capable of derailing democracy, HURIWA called on world leaders to call Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari to order.
The rights group recalled that the NBC had vowed to close down broadcast stations airing programmes capable of undermining national security and peaceful co-existence.
NBC’s Director-General, Malam Balarabe Ilelah, had issued the warning at a meeting with broadcast stations on the coverage of the presidential, National Assembly, gubernatorial and state assembly elections.
“The NBC is giving its last warning to broadcast stations and will not hesitate to shut or revoke the license of any when convinced that its activities are capable of undermining the peaceful co-existence of the country.
“Any further breaches of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code and Act will no longer be tolerated,’’ he had warned.
However, HURIWA cited some fundamental rights provisions to justify the right of all citizens to freedom of expression including Obi and Atiku Abubakar who are contesting the emergence of the APC’s Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
However, the group challenged the television and radio stations coming under the alleged dictatorial radar of the NBC to challenge the infractions of their constitutional rights as enshrined in section 22 of the Constitution before the court of competent jurisdictions to cut down the oppressive and negative tail of the fascist NBC.