Phrank Shaibu, spokesman of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party—PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has accused President Bola Tinubu-led administration of plotting to crack down on the media ahead of the release of his records by the Federal Bureau of Investigation—FBI.
He said the warning by the National Broadcasting Commission—NBC, to sanction Arise Television News was only a little sign of what is to come.
In a statement on Sunday, Shaibu noted that the NBC had been watching while media organizations like Television Continental—TVC constantly attack Atiku and have refused to even air opposition views.
He said that Tinubu’s administration had become frustrated with the Chicago State University scandal and was planning a huge offensive in the coming days.
Shaibu added, “Back in February, the NBC tried to show a bit of fairness and fined TVC for unprofessional broadcasts, including the airing of the Joint Media Directorate of the APC Presidential Campaign Council press briefing, where Festus Keyamo said Obasanjo and Atiku ran a criminal enterprise and an empire of fraud in Abuja.
“However, since Tinubu became president on May 29, the NBC has become more partisan than ever. The NBC boss, Balarabe Ilelah, is obviously seeking to retain his appointment and is now dancing to the tune of the APC and their master at the Presidential Villa.
“The NBC has now been co-opted into a grand plot to gag the media over Tinubu’s certificate scandal. Having lost the battle in the court of public opinion, they are now trying to use the powers of the state to browbeat the media into silence. This is indeed shameful for a man who claimed to be a hero of the June 12 struggle.”
Shaibu urged the media in Nigeria not to capitulate at this troubling time.
He stressed that the documents that the FBI was set to release this month would further expose details of the investigation on Tinubu.
Atiku’s aide added that the dissemination of this information must not be left to social media alone. The media must rise up to its role as the watchdog of society as enshrined in Section 22 of the 1999 constitution.
