Buhari Wants NTA, AIT Sanctioned Over Alleged Hate Campaign

From GODWIN TSA, Abuja

The presidential can­didate of the All Progressives Con­gress (APC), Gen­eral Muhammadu Buhari, has petitioned the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) over alleged hate campaign against him.

In his petition addressed to the Chairman of the commis­sion, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, by the Director of Legal, APC Presidential Campaign Coun­cil, Chukwuma Machukwu Umeh (SAN), Buhari specifi­cally urged the NHRC to take punitive measures against the African Independent Televi­sion (AIT) and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) for airing a fabricated docu­mentary against him.
A similar petition has also been written to the Direc­tor General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC). The petition dated January 30, 2015 drew the at­tention of the commission to what it described as “the on­going mischievous, fabricated, defamatory and hate docu­mentary broadcasts by African Independent Television and Nigerian Television Authority against All Progressives Con­gress and its presidential can­didate, General Muhammadu Buhari.”

The APC noted that apart from being fabricated and planted, the broadcasts were a complete negation of the re­cent noble violence-free elec­tion accord.

The petition read in part: “Campaign of hate, particular­ly when based on twisted facts and ill intentions, is a construc­tive incitement to violence. Campaign of hate is not only dehumanizing, it is against the spirit of our constitution and unwholesome to national interest. The electorate have right to base their evaluation of every election candidate on true facts, not deceptive and cooked manipulations.

“As you are aware, the broadcasts contravened Sec­tions 34 (1) (a), 35, 36 and 37 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) as well as Section 95 of the Electoral Act, 2010. General election is a solemn process to enable Ni­gerians build a better nation, good future and real prosper­ity. Certainly, these cannot be achieved on campaign and broadcast of hate.

“I, therefore, request your good office to investigate these ugly developments in our nation-building processes as to issue out necessary pun­ishments to the Nigerian Tele­vision Authority, Daar Com­munication Plc, (the owners of African Independent Televi­sion) and their comrades in the unholy acts.”

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