By Abiola Olawale
The brewing tension between the political class and the fourth estate reached a boiling point on Monday as the Independent Broadcast Association of Nigeria (IBAN) issued a stern ultimatum to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
IBAN, an umbrella body for all independent broadcast stations in Nigeria, demanded a formal apology to veteran Channels TV anchor Seun Okinbaloye, or a total blackout of the Minister’s activities.
In a statement signed by Ahmed Ramalan, IBAN chairman; and Fidelis Duker, acting general secretary; the association expressed concern over the implications of the comment aired during a live television interview.
The New Diplomat reports that on Friday, during a routine media chat, Wike said he was irked by Okinbaloye’s take on the trajectory of the nation’s democracy while watching ‘Politics Today’.
“If there was any way to break the screen, I would have shot him,” Wike had said.
On Saturday, Lere Olayinka, senior special assistant on public communications to Wike, said his principal’s comment on Okinbaloye was “hyperbolic” and had been taken out of context by propagandists.
However, in its statement, IBAN said even though the minister later shared that he did not intend physical harm to the journalist, the utterance was inappropriate from a public official.
The association said expressions suggesting violence could be interpreted as intimidation of journalists.
IBAN added that such remarks could contribute to a hostile environment for media practitioners.
The association also urged the minister to reaffirm his commitment to press freedom in line with sections 22 and 39 of the 1999 constitution.
IBAN said failure to comply could lead to a boycott by independent broadcast stations.
“Should the minister fail to meet these requests within a reasonable period, IBAN will have no choice but to advise all independent broadcast stations to suspend coverage of all press briefings, media chats, and official news conferences hosted by the FCT minister,” the statement reads.
The association said the measure would be taken to protect journalists and discourage violent rhetoric against the media.
IBAN added that it remains open to constructive engagement with public officials.
“We hope the minister will take the necessary corrective action so that normal coverage can continue without interruption,” the association said.
