Ekiti: APC wins as NBC shuts State Broadcast media for breaching Code, Electoral Act
…As PDP rejects entire election process, blame INEC security
Former Minister of Solid Minerals and candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Dr. Kayode Fayemi has been declared winner of the gubernatorial election held on Saturday in Ekiti State by beating the rarely known candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prof Olusola Eleka with a difference of over 19,000 votes.
This as the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) earlier Sunday morning shutdown the Ekiti State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) for observed infractions of national broadcasting code.
Business Hilights recalls that the Commission had before weekend, handed down a stern warning on the station over abuse of broadcasting code and prevailing Electoral Act.
Besides, prior to the final announcement of the result on Sunday, the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan had issued a statement saying “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rejects in its entirety whatever outcome is being concocted by the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies, in the governorship election in Ekiti state”.
According to the results announced earlier Sunday morning by INEC, Dr Fayemi polled 197,459 votes to beat his PDP rival, Professor Olusola Eleka who got 178,121 votes.
Eleka won in his local council of Ikere-Ekiti, Emure, Efon and Ado-Ekiti. Fayemi won in Ilejemeje, Irepodun/Ifelodun, which is the local council of the incumbent, Ayodele Fayose, Ido-Osi, Fayemi’s own local council.
The APC candidate also won in Oye, Moba, Ijero, Gboyin, Ekiti West, Ikole, Ise Orun, Ekiti East and Ekiti South West. Results of Ekiti governorship election as declared by INEC
In a statement signed by Head, Public Affairs at NBC, Mrs. Maimuna Jimada, the Commission averred that it shutdown the ESBS after unauthorized declaration of the governorship election results by the state Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose on the Ekiti State Broadcasting stations.
“In addition, the Governor went on air to make malicious and unsubstantiated claims against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Nigerian Police and the Department of Security Services. The station will remain shut down till further notice.
“The Commission had on Tuesday 5th June queried the station’s Acting Director General; Mr. Lere Olayinka who is doubling as the spokesman for the PDP campaign organisation in breach of Section 5.2.18 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code in letters to the Station and the State Government. Both letters were ignored by the recipients.
“The Ekiti State Broadcasting Service on Wednesday11th July, 2018 was found in breach of sections 5.2.7 and 5.2.8 of the Code for which it was reprimanded and fined N500,000 by the Commission.
“The Director General, Mr. Is’haq Modibbo Kawu wishes to re-emphasize that all broadcasters must adhere strictly to the ethics of the profession in conducting all programmes on their stations in respect to the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, the National Broadcasting Act CAP N11 Laws of the Federation, 2004 and the Electoral Act.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Kawu hereby draws the attention of all, to the following sections of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code: 3.1.2 which states that: “Materials likely to incite or encourage to the commission of a crime or lead to public disorder shall not be broadcast,”
Also, Section 5.2.15 of the code which was breached provides that “A broadcaster shall broadcast election results or declaration of the winner only as announced by the authorized electoral officer for the election.
NBC therefore reminded broadcasters to be mindful of unverifiable activities and reportage going on the Social Media as no law has been made to make social space an official source for release of election results.
Accordingly, “The NBC wishes to reiterate that broadcasting stations must ensure proper gate keeping and professionalism in all programmes transmitted on their stations as the Commission would impose severe sanctions for any breach of the Broadcasting Code”.
Whereas there had been no official response from any of the contestants or the seating governor of the State on the election, Dr. Ayo Fayose as at press time, the national leadership of the PDP in the statement preceding the announcement of the result alleged that “The process, characterized by open alteration of results, brutalization of innocent citizens, barefaced cruelty and intimidation of our members by security agencies, is a brazen assault against democracy and a direct subversion of the will of the people which is completely unacceptable”.
“The PDP is armed with the details of all manipulations by the APC, who is being aided by security agencies and compromised INEC officials to rig the election, particularly, the audacious alteration and substitution of election results in favour of the APC at the collation centers amidst the brutalization of our agents.
The PDP also has details of all the polling units where we won, mostly with very wide margin ahead of the APC, only for the security agencies to aid the swapping and alteration of such results with those smuggled in by the APC at the collation centers.
It is instructive to state that all the issues we raised ahead of the election, including the conspiracy between the APC, some compromised INEC officials and security agencies; the importation of thugs from other states by the APC; the use of brutal force against our members and the alteration of results in favour of the APC, have all manifested.
“The PDP holds strongly that there is no way our democracy can survive with an electoral process such as this, being witnessed today in Ekiti state under President Muhammadu Buhari and the current INEC.
“This bald-faced subversion of the will of the people is a clear recipe for a serious crisis and we invite Nigerians and the international community to hold President Buhari and his APC as well as the INEC Chairman and heads of security agencies in Nigeria responsible for any breakdown of law and order in Ekiti state as a result of this election.
“This on-going robbery of the franchise of Ekiti people is a horrible rape of our democracy and most uncharitable of President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC who hugely benefitted from the credible election midwifed by the PDP in 2015,” PDP averred.
Whereas, political pundits say the results of the Ekiti State elections should not be used to predict what will happen during next year’s general elections or in Osun State where another guber election will hold as the states’ political happenstances are different from what obtains at the national level.
On the other hand, analysts averred that what played out was the rejection of god-fatherism in Ekiti politics and aligning with a candidate that can hold his views any time and any where.
