The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has condemned the decision of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to revoke the licenses of 52 broadcast stations in Nigeria, describing the action in an election as a draconian.
The CNPP in a statement signed by its secretary general, Chief Willy Ezugwu, noted that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration had not hidden its disdain for media organisations in Nigeria.
The CNPP recalled that one of the first actions taken by the administration on assumption of office in 2015 was the ban of African Independent Television (AIT) from covering the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
It equally recalled that Bashir Abubakar, the chief security officer to President Muhammadu Buhari had in 2017 also expelled the correspondent of Punch Newspapers, Lekan Adetayo, from the Aso Rock Presidential Villa.
The group called on President Muhammadu Buhari to end this assault on the media and rather engage them, particularly in an election period as we find ourselves.
The statement reads in part, “ There is no enough justification for the shutdown of the 52 broadcast stations by the NBC considering the after effects, including the magnitude of job loss by citizens.
“The NBC should have engaged the stations, using less draconian approach to debt recovery.
“Has NBC thought of the number of citizens employed by the 52 broadcast stations before revoking their licences?
“The CNPP therefore calls for immediate reversal of the shutdown order by the NBC to save million of jobs in the country and reduce the pains inflicted on Nigerians who voted the All Progressives Congress (APC) into office”.
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