Buhari Petitions NHRC Over Over Alleged Hate Campaign Aired Against Him On NTA, AIT

Monday, 2 February 2015

Buhari Petitions NHRC Over Over Alleged Hate Campaign Aired Against Him On NTA, AIT

Former Head of State and the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen-eral Muhammadu Buhari, has petitioned the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) over alleged hate campaign against him. Sunnews report.

Buhari urged the NHRC to take punitive measures against the African Independent Television (AIT) and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) for airing a fabricated documentary against him.

A similar petition has also been written to the Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC). The petition dated January 30, 2015 drew the attention of the commission to what it described as “the ongoing mischievous, fabricated, defamatory and hate documentary broadcasts by African Independent Television and Nigerian Television Authority against All Progressives Congress and its presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari.”

The APC noted that apart from being fabricated and planted, the broadcasts were a complete negation of the recent noble violence free election accord.

The petition read in part: “Campaign of hate, particularly when based on twisted facts and ill intentions, is a constructive incitement to violence. Campaign of hate is not only dehumanizing, it is against the spirit of our constitution and unwholesome to national interest. The electorate have right to base their evaluation of every election candidate on true facts, not deceptive and cooked manipulations.

“As you are aware, the broadcasts contravened Sections 34 (1) (a), 35, 36 and 37 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) as well as Section 95 of the Electoral Act, 2010. General election is a solemn process to enable Nigerians build a better nation, good future and real prosperity. Certainly, these cannot be achieved on campaign and broadcast of hate.

“I, therefore, request your good office to investigate these ugly developments in our nation-building processes as to issue out necessary punishments to the Nigerian Television Authority, Daar Communication Plc, (the owners of African Independent Television) and their comrades in the unholy acts.”