The National Broadcasting Commission has calk on all broadcasting stations who will be reporting the Ekiti State Governorship elections on Saturday to do so in conformity with the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, especially the provisions relating to coverage of elections.
The Director General of NBC, Modibbo Kawu made the call in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday.
He said “attention of broadcasters is drawn to the following sections of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code:
*Section 5.2.12:* *All partisan political broadcasts, campaigns, jingles, announcements and the use of all forms of partisan political party identifications or symbols on air shall end not later than twenty-four hours before polling day.*
Section 5.2.14: A broadcaster shall not use any vote obtained at different polling stations or from exit polls, to project or speculate on the chances of the candidates.
Section 5.2.15: A broadcaster shall broadcast election results or declaration of the winner only as announced by the authorized electoral officer for the election.
The Commission therefore reiterated that broadcast organizations were expected to exercise freedom of expression as agents of society, not for any personal or sectional rights, privileges and needs of their own or of
their proprietors, relatives, or supporters as highlighted in the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
The Commission noted that all broadcast stations have a duty to promote sustainable democracy in Nigeria, and warns that appropriate sanctions would be meted out to any erring station that operates outside the confines
of the Code in accordance with section 14.0.1 which states that:
“The Commission shall impose sanctions for any breach arising from monitoring and all complaints received on the content or conduct of a broadcast station.”
Oyin Aminu, Abuja
