I have read the flimsy excuses given by the APC Federal Government for suspending the Broadcast Licences of AIT and Raypower. They are laughable, insensitive and a deliberate attempt to weaken the voice of the people.
Make no mistake about it, AIT is the only Broadcast Medium that is objective under this failed APC Federal Government. It is the only medium that gives all sides the opportunity to be heard.
It is the only medium that both APC and PDP leaders run to, if faced with difficulties of visibility. All the other Electronic Media are Pro-APC . Channels, NTA, TVC, Core TV etc are propaganda tools of the APC Federal Government. They have been cornered for anti-people Rhetoric.
An example will suffice. When the Rivers State Governorship Election ran into troubled waters due to the criminal activities of the Nigerian Army, Channels TV and TVC backed off. They discovered that all visuals available exposed the criminal actions of the authorities and saw no reason to keep Nigerians abreast with happenings in the state.
It got to a head on the day of the Collation of Results. Channels TV was the first to set up her outside broadcast equipment at INEC Headquarters in Port Harcourt. But when it became clear that Governor Wike would win, they removed their live cameras from the Collation Hall and kept them at the gate were they ran live interviews with AAC/APC Officials, instead airing the live results. It was only AIT that aired the Collation of Results live.
Recall that Channels had aired those of other states live, especially where APC was coasting to victory.
On Channels Television, if there is a news item that wouldn’t favour APC, a live guest is invited to the news studio to water down the report. It is a regular feature to see guests promoting Buhari and the APC on Channels Television. It is a common sight for News Casters and hosts to struggle on Channels Television set, in defence of APC and Buhari.
AIT is the last line of defence for the Nigerian people. It was only AIT that stopped Obasanjo from getting a third term, when it placed the anti-democratic forces of that era on their toes. If Obasanjo had succeeded, there wouldn’t be a Buhari.
This Administration always finds a reason to do the unthinkable. It has destroyed the Judiciary and has raped the National Assembly into submission. It is now attacking the free press.
Even when the suspension of the licence of Daar Communications are lifted, they will never be the same again. The medium is likely to slip into self censorship.
This is the worst era for democracy. No form of development, no form of freedom and no form of positive pro-people ideas. All we see is desperation in the negative direction. All we see is banditry and deaths.
