Edo Broadcasting Service (EBS) television has breached the NBC rule, never reported me – Edo PDP candidate

The PDP candidate in the Edo 2016 election has accused the state-owned Edo Broadcasting Service (EBS) television station of not reporting any of the activities of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) because of  directives of the out going government of Edo state.

This action is a clear breach of the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission’s (NBC) rule. The NBC rule makes it mandatory for every broadcast station to give adequate coverage to both the ruling party and the opposition in their reporting. A breach of this rule attracts sanctions.

A civil rights movement in Edo State, the Redemption Group, has sounded a warning to the EBS to “immediately reverse this untoward trend otherwise face the aggravated wrath of the people in the coming days.” The group has stated that it is organising what it terms “An Angry March” to EBS on an undisclosed date when they “would violently protest against the injustice, impunity and reckless breach of the NBC rule by the EBS “

Speaking to members of the civil society of Edo state, the PDP candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, said that the EBS has breached the NBC rules.

‘’The Edo State Broadcasting Service, under the regulation of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has a right to report me as a candidate in this election. But it has never done so. The Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) on its own wrote me a letter, assigning a crew to me, because it is a regulation under the NBC.’’ Ize-Iyamu said.

Pastor Ize-Iyamu condemned the unprofessional conduct of the EBS, adding that the moment candidates emerge, all the candidates must be given adequate coverage in line with the regulation of NBC.

‘’The EBS knows it, and the management wanted to do the right thing, but they are afraid. Even when they carry my advert — jingo, they are called to Government House and warned never to try it again. It is that bad!’’, he further stated.

‘’Many civil servants call me in the middle of the night because they are afraid; even when by chance they meet me in public functions, it could get them dismissed from the public offices. What kind of state are we living in? Are we in a state of war? That people who got to power — through our mandate have become despots, using the state apparatus to intimidate and oppress our people?

‘’I appeal to you to take a walk to prisons and you will be amazed at the number of political prisoners that are there. And they are boasting they will do more. And those who were arrested in Ovia North East and detained were told they could be released if only they will defect to APC, and the young boys said they will not, and so they are still in detention till today.’’

The PDP governorship candidate appealed to the international community and the civil society groups to rise up to the challenges, insisting that members of PDP are not weak but love peace because war is expensive.

‘’This election cannot be rigged. We will defend our votes and our people’s mandate with our blood. And those who want to kill let them kill, but life/death is not in their hands’’, he stated.