The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday rejected the reviewed broadcast code by the All Progressives Congress (APC) government, describing it as another draconian measure to muzzle the media, suppress free speech in Nigeria and conceal corruption in the ruling party.
The party said the APC and its government adopted the reviewed code with its N5 million fine to intimidate the media and gag whistle blowers from further exposing the humongous corruption, abuse of office, violation of human rights, as well as officials’ betrayal of trust and abuse of office in the Buhari administration.
The party, in a statement by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, said, “The code is also a grand plot to suppress and muzzle Nigerians and the media from publicly opposing plots by the APC to mortgage the sovereignty of our dear nation to foreign interests as being witnessed in the anti-Nigeria clauses in the loan agreements with China.
“The APC has been jittery over the stench of monumental corruption oozing out from its government as well as its anti-Nigeria activities, and now seeks to suppress public opinion and media reportage of their atrocities against our nation.”
The PDP urged Nigerians to note that the APC administration rushed to review the broadcast codes and introduced draconian clauses at the height of public revelations and media reportage of its corruption and plots to mortgage the nation’s sovereignty to China.
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“The reviewed broadcast code therefore validates the stance by Nigerians that covering of corruption and the scheme to mortgage the sovereignty of our nation are official policies of the APC which has not denied that it is the headquarters of corruption.
“Our party, however, wishes to inform the APC and its administration that the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and other laws guiding media practice, which guarantees a free press and freedom of opinion by Nigerians are clear and that no matter how much the truth is suppressed, it must always come to light.
“Moreover, the APC must know that we are in a democracy and that Nigerians cannot be suppressed from exercising their rights of speaking out in the face of injustice, corruption, abuse of trust in the APC administration, which President Buhari had also admitted.
“The PDP charges President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Ministry of Information and Culture to retrace its steps and stop all acts that further acerbate the ugly situation in our country under the APC corrupt and anti-people administration,” the party said.
