The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has warned
broadcasts covering the elections against using or allowing their platforms for
sharing content that may lead to the breakdown of law and order in Nigeria.
Balarabe Ilelah, director-general of NBC, issued the warning
in a statement on Monday in Abuja.
Ilelah said that the commission had observed that some
guests on broadcast stations were making volatile allusions capable of causing
unrest in the country.
He warned that appropriate sanctions would be meted out to
any erring station that operates outside the confines of the Nigeria
Broadcasting Code.
“The NBC reminds all
broadcasters covering and reporting the 2023 General Elections to endeavor to
abide with the provisions of the Extant Electoral Law(s), the Nigeria
Broadcasting Code, and other relevant regulations guiding the broadcast of
elections in Nigeria,” the statement reads.
” For the avoidance of doubt, the Code admonished
broadcasters in the following Sections:
” 5.3.3(k) not use any vote obtained at a polling station or
from an exit poll to project or speculate on the chances of a candidate;
” 5.3.3 (l) relay election results or declaration of the
winner only as announced by the authorized electoral officer for the election.
“The NBC ACT CAP N11, Laws of the Federation, 2004, also
prescribes, in the third Schedule 12(6) that, “A licensee shall be responsible
for the content of the Station’s Broadcast.”
Ilelah emphasised the need for broadcasters to perform the
role of peace agents by adhering to the principles of responsibility, accuracy,
and neutrality.
“The commission, while reminding all broadcast stations by
this release that they have a duty to promote sustainable democracy in Nigeria,
also warns that appropriate sanctions would be meted out to any erring
station,” he added.
NBC had earlier warned broadcast stations not to announce election results before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
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