My Membership Of APC Has Nothing To Do With AIT, Ray Power Suspension, Says DG NBC

The Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Dr. Modibbo Kawu says the suspension of DAAR Communications Plc, operators of AIT and Ray Power FM has nothing to do with his membership of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

Kawu stated this while reacting to questions on the possibility of the public linking his action to his membership of the ruling party APC. Shortly after announcing the suspension of the two broadcast stations, Kawu said the commission was consistent in the pattern of monitoring every single broadcast station in Nigeria, and as such could not have been partisan in taking such decision.

He maintained that even though the owner of the two stations, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi is a chieftain of the major opposition party, PDP, he was not given the broadcast license on partisan basis, maintaining that both stations violated the broadcasting code and must face the full wrath of the law.

“We were very consistent in the pattern of monitoring every single radio and television station in Nigeria. When DAAR Communications was given a license, it was not given the license on partisan basis, there are basic steps that you take and when you look at the license, there are obligations that you have to meet in terms of running a broadcast outfit.

“It did not matter whether Raymond Dokpesi, owner of DAAR Communications Plc belongs to a political party. I joined the APC in October 2018, when I ran for governorship position in my state. So, it is not about the political party I belong to. I am a media professional and there are certain basic responsibilities that every broadcasting station owe to the Nigerian state.

“We are not a censorship institution. We made it clear to all broadcast stations that the obligation they have is to have Nigeria first before you have broadcasting or any social institution. The way and manner they uphold the integrity of their country is what matters. I have been very deliberate in my regulatory responsibility because I know them very very well.”

On the possibility of negotiation with the management of DAAR Communications, the NBC DG answered in the affirmative, but added that there were some conditions which the company must meet, one of which is to clear all the debts it owed the Commission.

“There are certain basic steps that you take when your licenses are suspended. One is that DAAR Communications have to pay entirely all the money they owe NBC, have to take certain other steps that would come up as we go along. It is not adversarial relationship; we are not targeting them as an institution,” he added.

On whether he was acting on the directive of the Presidency, Kawu said no, but pointed out that the action of NBC was in full compliance with the Nigerian Broadcasting Act and the Nigerian Broadcasting code.

“The regulator and the licensee have a relationship which has been codified by the Nigerian laws and those laws are basic: the Nigerian Broadcasting Act and Nigerian broadcasting code. These are the platforms upon which every licensee must operate. There is no licensee who is bigger than the regulator. What has happened is that over the years, DAAR Communications have behaved as if they cannot be regulated. And there is no institution in Nigeria that cannot be regulated, you either fall in, obeying the law, walking down the narrow parth or you are out of business.”

On how to get back the licenses, he said DAAR Communications must follow due process in retrieving the revoked licenses in line with the laid down rules, after clearing all the accrued debts.

“There are always steps that ought to be taken to get back their license but they must walk down the straight and narrow parth, must adhere to the terms of their license and must pay every single kobo they owe NBC because if they do not pay they ought not to be on air.

“They have never taken the proper and right steps. We have held several meetings with them about their payment structure. They will not tell us how they are supposed to pay because the regulator makes the law in terms of that. The licensee cannot determine how he operates. It does not happen anywhere in the world because there are set down laws that you must follow to be a broadcaster in the Nigerian society.”

When asked what the NBC is doing about government broadcast stations that owe license renewal fee debts more than the private media houses, Kawu said, the Commission would not use DAAR’s platform as basis upon which they will relate with other licensees but added that they have the same level of relationship with government owned media in terms of what they are owing the Commission.

“Somebody commits an offence, you now say because other people are committing the same offence that person should not be sanctioned. We will not use that platform as basis upon which we will relate with other licensees.

“In terms of government stations, we have the same level of relationship in terms of what they are owing us. We make amend on permanent basis. For us, the withdrawal of DAAR licenses is not a reactionary action.”