The Special Assistant on Public Communication for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Phrank Shaibu, has claimed that the administration of President Bola Tinubu has perfected a sinister plot to muzzle the media before the records pertaining to his investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are made public.
The National Broadcasting Commission’s (NBC) threat to penalise Arise Television News, according to him, is just the beginning.
In a statement on Sunday, Shaibu claimed that the NBC had observed as media outlets like Television Continental (TVC) consistently attacked Atiku and refused to even present opposing viewpoints.
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He claimed that the Chicago State University affair had angered Tinubu’s administration, which was preparing a major offensive in the coming days.
“Back in February, the NBC tried to be a little more fair and fined TVC for unprofessional broadcasts, including the airing of the Joint Media Directorate of the APC Presidential Campaign Council press briefing, where Festus Keyamo claimed Obasanjo and Atiku ran an illegal business and an empire of fraud in Abuja,” continued Shaibu.
“However, the NBC has grown much more politicised since Tinubu took office on May 29. The head of NBC, Balarabe Ilelah, is clearly trying to keep his job, and he is now swaying to the APC and their master at the Presidential Villa.
“The NBC has now been integrated into a broader scheme to silence the media over Tinubu’s certificate crisis. After losing the battle in the court of public opinion, they are now attempting to intimidate the media with the help of the state. This is truly disgraceful coming from a man who called himself a hero of the June 12 battle.
The Nigerian media should not be perceived as being weak at this time, Shaibu said.
He emphasised that information about the investigation of Tinubu would be revealed in the mountain of records that the FBI planned to release this month.
Atiku’s aide further stated that social media should not be used as the sole means of disseminating this information. As stated in Section 22 of the 1999 constitution, the media must fulfil its responsibility as society’s watchdog.
