The unconstitutional and rash decision by the Zamfara State Government on Saturday, October 15, 2022, to shut down four broadcast stations for covering the activities of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gusau, was not just a threat to freedom of the press, but an act of intolerance, which portends danger for democracy as Nigeria marches towards the 2023 elections. The four broadcast stations are the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Gamji TV, Al-Umma TV and Pride FM Radio, in Gusau.

In a radio broadcast, the state Commissioner for Information, Ibrahim Dosara, announced the sanction, arguing that, “The state government has suspended all political activities in the state due to security challenges but the PDP ignored the order and held a rally in Gusau, the state capital, where one person was killed and 18 others were injured. The four media houses… were also at the event to cover the occasion even though they were aware of the ban on political rallies by the state government. Given this, the four media houses are hereby closed down with immediate effect. The government has directed security agents to arrest any staff member of the affected stations who tries to go into the stations to perform any duty.”

The state government’s action was arbitrary and dictatorial, because it is not vested with the power to sanction media organisations, even if they violate the Nigeria Broadcasting Code. The body vested with that responsibility is the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), which came out to clearly fault the Zamfara State’s action, as ultra vires.

The NBC, in a statement signed by its Director-General, Balarabe Illela, said it had “noted with serious concern the illegal action of Zamfara State Government by directing the shutdown of operations of licences of the commission in the state, on Saturday, October 15, 2022. We call on all industry stakeholders to resist any attempt to truncate the hard-earned democratic gains in Nigeria.”

The NBC stated that “Any aggrieved person or institution with genuine complaints arising from unprofessional conduct or action by any licensed broadcaster in Nigeria is hereby requested to follow the laid down processes enshrined in the Nigeria Broadcasting Code. The commission will not relent to discharge its mandate according to the NBC Act, CAP. NII, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. All broadcast license holders are urged to ensure strict compliance and avoid any action inimical to democratic governance and peaceful coexistence in Nigeria.”

We commend the NBC, International Press Institute (IPI), Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE) and other organisations who spoke with one voice against the unwarranted action of the state government. It was out of tune for Zamfara State to use the insecurity in the state as an excuse for clamping down on broadcast stations that provided coverage for the opposition PDP. In an election year, as we are in Nigeria, the role of journalists include to keep parties or candidates in the public eye; to allow political parties or candidates a chance to convey political positions directly to voters, unchallenged; and, for them to establish an aura of familiarity with voters. These are legitimate tasks the media perform when they cover political rallies, and by no stretch of imagination could such professional activities be misconstrued to pose security risk to Zamfara State.

Though the government has lifted the ban due to the barrage of criticisms its action attracted from diverse quarters, we join Nigerians who value and affirm freedom of the press as a cornerstone of our democracy, to condemn that act of shutting down the broadcast stations. The Zamfara State Government must come to terms with the fact that democracy thrives in an atmosphere of tolerance, where opposing parties jaw-jaw, and sell themselves to the electorate through rallies, town hall meetings, house-to-house mobilisation, and, of course, through media campaign and coverage. Every candidate in the 2023 elections must be at liberty to sell their programmes and agenda to potential voters. No government must use its power of incumbency to deprive other Nigerian politicians of the right to use the media to further their political agenda.

We also call on the federal government, political parties and security operatives to caution other governors against using state or non-state actors to intimidate the media and opposition elements. The media and opposition political parties are stakeholders in the country’s democracy; they must not be harassed, intimidated or shut out. State governments and security agencies must work out modalities to secure Nigeria ahead of the 2023 elections; insecurity must not be used as an excuse to attack the press.

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