Buhari bars AIT from covering his events

Buhari bars AIT from covering his events in response to its pro-Goodluck and PDP bias

 

PRESIDENT-elect General Muhammadu Buhari has barred the African Independent Television (AIT) from covering his activities in response to the harsh coverage the TV station of his election campaign.

AIT, owned by multi-millionaire Chief Raymond Dokpesi, prides itself on being Africa's largest independent television station and is widely viewed across the continent. However, Chief Dokpesi is a close ally of President Goodluck Jonathan and a supporter of his People's Democratic Party (PDP) and his TV station reflected this in its coverage of the elections.

Yesterday General Buhari barred the station from all of his activities citing issues of ethics and standards that need to be sorted out with the broadcast medium. Prior to the March 28 presidential election, AIT aired a series of documentaries considered to have disparaged General Buhari, his late wife and late daughter, as well as the All Progressives Congress (APC) leader Bola Tinubu.

Acting on orders, security operatives at Defence House in Abuja, where General Buhari is now resident, did not let the AIT‎ crew into the building. When General Buhari received the Cuban and Swiss ambassadors, along with guests from Nasarawa State, AIT was denied entry to cover the events.

Chief Dokpesi was widely believed to have received over N8bn (£23m) to air the controversial documentaries against APC leaders including the vice president elect Professor Yemi Osinbajo. Mallam Garba Shehu, the spokesman of the Buhari Campaign Organisation, confirmed that AIT will not be allowed to cover the president-elects activities for now.

Mallam Shehu said: “AIT has been asked to step aside based on security and family concerns. In addition, Buhari has decided that they will have to resolve some issues relating to issues of standard and ethics.

“We will be talking with them to try and resolve the matter but for now the station has been asked to stay aside because there are some family and security concerns. You can quote me that I said that we have asked them to step aside and that we are resolving the issues of ethics and standards with them.”

It is unclear if AIT will challenge the decision in court or enter into negotiations with the APC to resolve the issue. Undoubtedly, the move will leads to criticism as General Buhari's opponents will see it as him acting in a militaristic manner for which he has been criticised in the past.

- See more at: http://www.nigerianwatch.com/news/6861-buhari-bars-ait-from-covering-his-events-in-response-to-its-pro-goodluck-and-pdp-bias#sthash.shT92IC6.dpuf