The Peoples Democratic Party has decried the imposition of N5 million fine and suspension on Channels Television programme ‘Politics Today,’ by National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, describing it as draconian.
It would be recalled that NBC on Monday suspended Channels TV’s ‘Politics Today’ for interviewing IPOB spokesman.
The commission had claimed that the “provisions of the Code, and extant provisions of the Broadcasting Act” were violated during the programme.
Reacting to this in a statement titled ‘NBC Fine Against Channels Is Draconian,’ Kola Ologbondiyan, National Publicity Secretary of PDP, stated that such action could be counter-productive and heighten the already tensed situation in our nation at this critical time.
The statement further read; “The PDP describes the reported suspension and fine of N5m slammed by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) on @channelstv over alleged violation of broadcasting code, as draconian.
“The PDP stresses that, without prejudice to the issues raised against @ChannelsTv, the reported hasty clamp down, without the benefit of caution, is suggestive of intolerance and high-handedness by the regulatory body.
“Our party is worried that such disposition could be counter-productive and heighten the already tensed situation in our nation at this critical time.
“The PDP, therefore, urges the NBC to review the punitive measure on the media house as well as scale-up system-friendly measure that will ensure best practices in information dissemination in our country.”
