The National Broadcasting Commission has issued a query to Channels Television over an interview granted to Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom on Tuesday.
Mr Ortom had criticised President Muhammadu Buhari in an appearance on the broadcast station’s Sunrise Daily breakfast show.
“Mr President is pushing me to think that what they say about him, that he has a hidden agenda in this country is true because it is very clear that he wants to fulanise but he is not the first Fulani president,” he had said.
“Shagari was a Fulani President, Yar’ Adua was a Fulani president and they were the best in the history. But President Buhari is the worst president when it comes to issues of security and keeping his promises.
“Go back to 2015, what did he say, human rights issues, he talked about press freedom, about the economy, corruption, security, tell me one that Mr President has achieved.”
The Presidency had fired back at Ortom, calling him a “serial defector” an allusion to how often he has changed party alliance.
However, in a letter to Channels TV dated August 24, 2021, and signed by its director-general Balarabe Ilelah, the NBC said, “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.”
It said the actions negated Sections 1.10.4, 3.1.1, 3.3.1(b), 3.3.1(e), 3.11.1(a), and 3.12.2 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
“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 the receipt of this letter,” the letter read.
