At the launch of a report by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) in Lagos State on Thursday, a human rights lawyer, Femi Falana said that the N5 million fine on ChannelsTV by the National Broadcasting Commission.
ChannelsTV was fined for interviewing the spokesperson of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Emma Powerful in it’s programme ‘Sunday Politics.’F
Falana argued that the amendment code under which the TV station was sanctioned was never debated, discussed or agreed.
“In the case of Channels Television, none of the provision of the law was complied with,” he said.
“You don’t need to be a lawyer to know that the conduct of NBC is illegal, null and void, but that is not all, the NBC code that was allegedly amended was never debated, discussed or agreed upon, yet a government that loudly proclaims to operate under the rule of law is using the same instrument to impose sanctions on Channels Television, and thereby deny the entirety of Nigerians access to information.
“I, therefore, submit that if Channels Television paid the fine of N5 million, it should be refunded without any further delay.
“Secondly, NBC should apologise publicly to the Channels Television and the Nigerian people for violating our collective rights.
“Furthermore, the amended code should be withdrawn forthwith because the chairman of the board who was supposed to preside over the meeting said that amendment was never passed, and nobody has challenged him, and that is why that amendment should be squashed and set aside.
“My suggestions have nothing to do with the alleged apology extracted from the Channels Television. In other words, you can’t say after all Channels has apologised, No. An apology cannot obliterate your rights. Since we are saying the amendment is illegal, any action taken under it is illegal.
“On the contrary, it is NBC that should apologise to the staff and management of Channels Television and the entirety of Nigerians.”
Source: TheCable
