The Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) has commended the Hon Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris for his swift reaction to the directive of the Governor of Niger State to shutdown a duly licenced radio station that is operating in Niger State capital.
The Hon Minister has rightly counselled the Governor to channel his observations and complaints to the National Broadcasting Commission, the legal body empowered by law to discipline after due process, any erring broadcast media that is found to have violated broadcast regulations.
It is not within the mandate of the State Governor to shut down any licenced broadcast media operating in their domain under whatever disguise.
The recent order by the Governor of Niger State to shut down Badegi FM station operating in Minna, Niger State, on allegations of being hostile to the state government was ill advised and a violation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic.
It is pertinent to make it clear that the power to regulate the broadcast media is on the exclusive list and therefore precludes any organ of government other than NBC from exerting power of closure or suspension of licence of a broadcast station.
As counselled by the Hon Minister of Information and National Orientation, the Niger State Governor could seek redress concerning any alleged infractions or violation of any known law by Badegi FM,Minna by using due process of reporting the station to the broadcast regulatory body, the National Broadcasting Commission, which in turn would investigate the allegations to determine the culpability or otherwise of the allegations.
While urging media organisations to ensure due diligence in their services to the government and the governed, BON wishes to remind the government at all levels that suppressing the media could constitute serious dangers to democratic governance.
