… We are being persecuted on instructions from the Presidency, says Dokpesi
Ibitoye Philip Eniola
The Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) has suspended the licence of DAAR Communications, operators of African Independent Television (AIT) and Raypower FM.
The Director General of the NBC, Modibbo Kawu made the disclosure on Thursday evening while briefing journalists in Abuja.
He said DAAR communications has turned itself into a bad example of what a broadcast station should be.
He added that a decision was taken over the persistent violation of 2004 broadcasting Code, following persistent warning to the company to tow the line of caution.
Apart from violating broadcasting code, Kawu said the decision was also taken for the failure of the broadcast stations to pay their licence fees as when due, even after persistent warning to the company to toe the line of caution.
He stated that the suspension stands till further notice, noting that the decision was not taken on partisan consideration.
The NBC had recently threatened to sanction DAAR Communications over the use of social media comments in one of its programmes, Kakaaki Social, and ‘unprofessional’ conducts by the media house.
Nigeria’s broadcast regulatory commission asked the media house to explain why it should not be sanctioned for broadcasting ‘inciting’ and ‘unfair’ contents.
The NBC noted that the media house has refused to heed to its warning and continues to broadcast ‘treasonable comments.’
The Founder and Chairman Emeritus of DAAR Communications, Raymond Dokpesi, earlier on Thursday alleged that Africa Independent Television (AIT) and Raypower FM, are being persecuted by the National Broadcasting Commission on instructions from the Presidency.
He described queries by the NBC as “the high handedness of government in deploying all instruments of power to threaten, intimidate and harass the organisation for my affiliation with the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP).”
