Ortom vs Buhari: NBC Query Letter Sent To Channels TV Over Interview Emerges (Picture)
A letter said to have been sent to Channels Television by the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, querying them for the interview granted to the Governor of Benue state, Samuel Ortom has finally appeared online.
The popular publisher, Omoyele Sowore had earlier attacked the Buhari administration for reportedly threatening to suspend Channels over the interview with Ortom.
mNaija reports that the presidency is unhappy over a recent interview of Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom and Rtd. Naval Commodore, Kunle Olawunmi conducted at the TV station.
Ortom in the interview labelled Buhari as the worst President to ever rule Nigeria, adding that the President is grossly incapable of managing the affairs of the country.
He added that Buhari is trying to implement a secret Fulani agenda in Nigeria and cares more about cows than the people he is expected to lead.
Commodore Olawunmi had also revealed that the Buhari-led government was shielding sponsors of Boko Haram.
He said Boko Haram terrorists mentioned names of current governors, senators and Aso Rock officials as sponsors during interrogation by the military authorities.
According to him, the Department of State Services (DSS) has tremendous information on terrorists but they can’t do anything except the body language of the President.
The letter, which can be seen below, revealed that the NBC queried the TV station for violating broadcast codes by airing Ortom’s interview which was described as ‘divisive’ and ‘inciting’.
The letter read; The National Broadcasting Commission monitored the broadcast of your programme Sunrise Daily between 7am and 9am on Tuesday August 24, 2021.
The programme which had as guest the Executive Governor of Benue State, Governor Samuel Ortom was observed to contain inciting, divisive and unfair comments which were not thoroughly interrogated by the anchors. These negate the following provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code;
Section 1.10.4: “The Broadcaster shall ensure that its Presenter…..shall handle it with professionalism and sound judgment to ensure that it does not loose focus or lead to unfair treatment or institution”
Section 3.1.1: “No broadcast shall encourage or incite to crime, lead to public disorder or hate, be repugnant to public feelings or contain offensive reference or organization alive or dead…”
Section 3.3.1(b): “the broadcaster shall ensure that all sides to any issue of public interest are equitably presented for fairness and balance”
Section 3.3.1(e): “the broadcaster shall not treat any individual or organization in an unjust or unfair manner”
Section 3.11.1(a): “the broadcaster shall ensure that language….likely to encourage or incite to crime or lead to disorder is not broadcast”.
Section 3.12.2: “the broadcaster shall not transmit a program that incites or likely to incite to violence among the populace, causing mass panic, political and social upheaval, security breach and general social disorder”
Consequently, Channels Television is required to explain why appropriate sanctions should not be applied for these infractions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code. Your response should reach the Commission within 24 hours of receipt of this letter.
