Ex-Aide to Okowa Berates FG Over Suspension of AIT, Raypower Broadcast License.
ASABA/Nigeria: A member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Dr Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe has berated the federal government over what he described as unwarranted suspension of Broadcast License of Daar Communication Plc, owners of African Independent Television (AIT), Raypower and Faaji FM.
He noted that the uncivilised and retrogressive action of the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) is capable of threatening press freedom and strangulate its constitutional role as the watchdog of society; and urged the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) to resist the direct unpatriotic attack on the Press in Nigeria.
Oghenesivbe, immediate past Executive Assistant to the Governor of Delta State on Communication, further asserted that the Buhari administration has failed to deliver dividends of democracy to Nigerians; which is why the federal government can no longer accept constructive criticisms in the face of obvious epileptic power supply, escalated insecurity, high rate of unemployment, acute poverty, environmental degradation occasioned by clueless leadership, anti people policies and programmes which has stifled socioeconomic and infrastructure development from May 29, 2015 till date.
He appealed to the international community especially the United States and British governments to commence strategic steps to checkmate the perceived despotic leadership style of President Buhari, so as to avert the planned total clampdown on Journalists and the mass media in Nigeria.
Oghenesivbe, a lawyer and human rights activist, pointed out that the Press being the voice of the people cannot be allowed to decay through deliberate harassment and intimidation by certain oppressive cabal in Aso Rock, as it negates the much cherished principles of constitutional democracy.
“Nigeria is gradually drifting from light to darkness, from press freedom to a highly censored press, from hope to hopelessness under APC national government. We smell danger for the press and something urgent has to be done by the NUJ and Nigerian Guild of Editors. This is unacceptable in a representative government.
The suspension of broadcast license of Daar Communication is to say the least a direct attack on freedom of the press; and AIT happens to be the first victim of Buhari obvious despotic leadership.
“We call on the United Nation, American and British government to urgently wade into the obvious attempt by the Buhari administration to frustrate the practice of Journalism and by extension the strangulation of press freedom in Nigeria,” Oghenesivbe said.
