2023 Elections: NBC Warns Broadcasters Against Compromising Nigeria’s Unity

National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has warned all broadcast stations in the country to desist from using or allowing their platforms to be used by politicians, supporters, or sympathisers, for the broadcast of content that may lead to the breakdown of law and order.

The commission also urged all broadcasters covering the forthcoming general election to take note of the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, and other relevant regulations guiding the broadcast of elections in Nigeria.

Observing with deep concern how ethics have been thrown to the winds by politicians, using broadcast media platforms, the commission said it was against the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, which provides that in using materials for news and current affairs programmes, the broadcaster shall avoid hate speech, inflammatory, derogatory and divisive remarks or allusions.

The director-general, NBC, Mall. Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, who disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen yesterday in Abuja decried a situation where some stations now glamourise these activities on their platforms. Ilelah stressed that such stations shall pay for their professional misdemeanor.

For the avoidance of doubt, he advised broadcasters to note the following sections of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code which provides that the broadcaster shall:

“3.1.2 Promote human dignity, therefore, hate speech is prohibited.

“3.11.1(a) ensure that language or scene likely to encourage or incite to crime, or lead to disorder, is not broadcast; 3.11.1(b) ensure that no programme contains anything which amounts to subversion of constituted authority or compromises the unity or corporate existence of Nigeria as a sovereign state; 5.4.1(f) not transmit divisive materials that may threaten or compromise the indivisibility and indissolubility of Nigeria as a sovereign state.

“5.3.3(g) ensure that a political broadcast is clearly identified as such, and not presented in a manner that would mislead the audience to believe that the programme is of any other type;

“5.3.3(j) ensure that the broadcast of a partisan political campaign, jingle, announcement and any form of partisan political party identification or symbol ends not later than twenty-four hours before polling day; 5.3.3(k) not use any vote obtained at a polling station or from an exit poll to project or speculate on the chances of a candidate; 5.3.3(1) relay election results or declaration of the winner only as announced by the authorised electoral officer for the election;

“5.3.4 In exceptional circumstances, a government functionary may perform a service relating to his/her office within the 24-hour campaign restriction period, provided there is no coloration of partisanship by the official or the broadcaster.”

He further noted that the NBC ACT CAP N11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, also prescribes, in the Third Schedule 12(6) that “A Licensee shall be responsible for the content of the Station’s Broadcast.”

Conclusively, he said the commission enjoins all broadcasters to desist from using or allowing their platforms and facilities to be used by politicians, their supporters, and/or sympathizers, for the broadcast of contents that may lead to the breakdown of law and order.

“Broadcasters are, therefore, expected to perform the role of peace agents by adhering to the principles of responsibility, accuracy, and neutrality,” he added.