Anambra 2021: NBC sensitizes stations, stakeholders on political broadcast

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has called on all key players in the broadcast industry and other stakeholders to be extremely cautious of their editorial contents and play their role as the Anambra gubernatorial election draws near.

 

Director-General of the Commission, Malam Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, made the plea during a one-day sensitization workshop on political broadcast organised by the Commission in Awka.

 

Malam Ilela who spoke through the Director of Broadcast Monitoring, Mrs Franca Aiyetan,  said it considered it necessary to remind stations and stakeholders to ensure ethical broadcast during the electoral process.

 

He urged broadcast stations to ensure that they do not use their platforms to disseminate falsehood, fake news, hate speech or preach violence and other anti-social tendencies inimical to nation-building.

 

“I wish to remind all broadcasting stations who will be reporting the Anambra State Gubernatorial elections to do so in conformity with the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, especially the provisions relating to political broadcast and election coverage,” he said.

 

He described the theme of the workshop”Towards Achieving A Successful Election:The need to uphold fair play, decency and equity as of utmost importance and apt.

 

In a remark, the State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr C.Don Adinuba,  haile the commission for staging the program and urged broadcasters to be neutral and objective in their reportage.

 

He added that past elections held in the state were peaceful and challenged INEC not to compromise its innovations in the electoral process.

 

The State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Nkwachukwu Orji, said it was engaging stakeholders and collaborators to ensure violence-free elections, just as 26,000 Adhoc staff with 24,000 security personnel are needed to conduct the election.

 

While stressing the importance of a knowledgeable electorate in terms of civic education and enlightenment, he said the commission was battling to overcome escalating security challenges posed by secessionist agitators, unknown gunmen and Covid -19 pandemic.

 

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He said that the competitive nature of the election would define the process as it would jettison the voter capture machine system for Di Modal electronic system.

 

Speaking on behalf of Broadcasting Station Managers in the state, the Managing Director of Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS), Nze Uche Nwora,  pledged to abide by the extant laws and regulations and to retrain the staff of the station on NBC rules.

 

Nwora, then, pleaded with the commission not to be quick in wielding the big stick-on erring stations but to create room for dialogue in resolving contentious issues.

 

 

Zainab Sa’id