Civic Group Challenges NBC Over N5m Fine Imposed On Channels TV

<h4>Civic Group Challenges NBC Over N5m Fine Imposed On Channels TV<&sol;h4>&NewLine;<p><strong><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;openlife&period;ng&sol;">OpenLife Nigeria<&sol;a><&sol;strong> reports that a civil group&comma; the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project &lpar;SERAP&rpar;&comma; has slammed the National Broadcasting Commission for slamming N5million fine on Channels TV over a recent interview with the vice presidential candidate of the Labour Party &lpar;LP&rpar;&comma; Datti Baba-Ahmed&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;The non-governmental organisation vowed to sue Buhari government NBC&comma; describing the imposition of the fine on Media station as unacceptable and negate the freedom of expression&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;SERAP which stated this in a reaction to the N5 million fine imposed on the television station&comma; wrote on its Twitter handle on Saturday&comma; &&num;8220&semi;We&&num;8217&semi;re suing the Buhari administration and NBC over the arbitrary and unlawful fine of N5 million imposed on Channels TV for a recent interview with Datti Baba-Ahmed&comma; vice presidential candidate of the Labour Party &lpar;LP&rpar;&period;&&num;8221&semi;<br &sol;>&NewLine;It would be recalled that on <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;saharareporters&period;com&sol;">March 27&comma; NBC&comma; in a letter addressed to Channels Chief Executive Officer said the television station violated broadcasting code&period;<&sol;a><br &sol;>&NewLine;Titled &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Broadcast of an Inciting Interview&comma; A Sanction”&comma; the letter was signed by Balarabe Ilelah&comma; the commission’s Director-General&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;It read in part&colon; &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;The NBC monitored the broadcast of a live interview of the running mate of the Labour Party Vice presidential candidate&comma; Dr Datti Baba-Ahmed&comma; by the anchor of Politics Today&comma; Seun Okinbaloye&comma; on Wednesday&comma; March 22&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Dr Baba-Ahmed said it will be unconstitutional to swear in an elected president on May 29&comma; 2023&comma; because of election irregularities&comma;” Ilelah said in the letter&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;He noted that the broadcast was volatile and capable of inciting public disorder and therefore violated some sections of the broadcasting code&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;This&comma; according to him&comma; includes the section that said no broadcast shall encourage&comma; or incite&comma; be repugnant to public feelings or contain offensive reference to any person or organisation&comma; alive or dead or generally be disrespectful to human dignity&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Consequently&comma; on the following infractions&comma; Channels Television is hereby sanctioned and shall pay a penalty of N5&comma;000&comma;000 &lpar;five million naira&rpar; only in the first instance&comma;” he said&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;