The Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) says the planned regulation of online media is an attempt by the
government to gag Nigerians.
Lai Mohammed, minister of
information, announced that online news platforms will soon be regulated when
he inaugurated a seven-man committee set up to implement reforms in the
National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) last Thursday.
Mohammed said the reforms that
will be implemented by the committee are recommendations approved by the
president.
But reacting in a statement
issued by Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP spokesman, the party accused Buhari and the
ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to “further gag the media,
subjugate Nigerians and curtail their constitutionally guaranteed freedom of
expression”.
The party described the planned
action as “completely obnoxious, anti-democratic and a direct violation of
statutory rules governing media practice and freedom of expression in Nigeria”.
The PDP also rejected the
declaration of political comments as “Class A” offence, saying that such is
designed to exterminate the rights of citizens to dissenting public opinion,
emasculate the opposition and foist a dictatorship and one-party system on the
nation.
“Our party alerts that such moves
amount to an attempt to amend our constitution to take away the rights of
citizens and undermine our democratic institutions; a development that has the
capacity to destabilize our dear nation,” the statement read.
“The PDP invites Nigerians to
note that this dictatorial pathway which the Buhari Presidency seeks to impose
if allowed, will herald the gradual emasculation of freedom of expression,
repression of free press, infringements on the rights of citizens and foisting
of siege mentality on the people.
“Nigerians are already
apprehensive that the directive is geared towards clearing the ground for the
introduction of certain harsh policies in our country.
“Our constitution has made enough
provisions to guide media practice as well as the exercise of freedom of
expression. The foisting of unconstitutional and suppressive regulations is not
acceptable under any guise.”
The PDP asked members of the
national assembly to reject the presidential directive in the interest of the
nation.
It also asked Buhari and his
advisers not to “derail the nation with such undemocratic policies”.
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