The importance of press freedom in ensuring free and fair elections and protection of citizen rights and freedom has been emphasized as the press serves as a watchdog on power.
The Zamfara State PDP Governorship Candidate, Dr. Dauda Lawal on Sunday has pointed out that Press Freedom is under assault in Zamfara, while criticizing the decision of the Matawalle led government for unlawfully targeting to victimize media stations in the state for covering a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) political event.
In a statement issued by the Dauda Lawal Media Office in Gusau, Lawal berated the Matawalle led government, stressing that the Governor’s desperation manifested itself in a draconian style.
Recall that the Zamfara state government in a statement on Saturday, signed by the state Commissioner for Information ordered the shutting down of Federal Government and privately owned Media stations namely Radio Nigeria, Pride FM Gusau, NTA Gusau, Gamji Television, Vision FM, and Al’umma TV.
According to the statement, the Lawal said that it is with great dismay that they condemned the unlawful action of Zamfara state government aimed at stifling the freedom of the press.
The statement said that it is a draconian style applied to gag press freedom simply for covering opposition parties’ political activities in compliance with the NBC Act and Electoral act as amended 2022.
Lawal said that the NBC Act and Electoral act as amended 2022 has obliged all broadcast stations to give equal access to political parties in the build up to the 2023 general election.
The statement also read that the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, has faulted the APC led government of Zamfara State for arbitrarily closing the media stations and has warned the state government of the gravity of the illegality and requested it to immediately reverse the directive.
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