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The National
Broadcasting Commission has described as illegal and unacceptable any
political broadcast aired by radio or television stations earlier than
three months to the 2011 general elections.

Chris Okotomho, who
represented Yomi Bolarinwa, the Director-General of the commission, at
a one-day political broadcast forum held in Benin also said the NBC is
worried by the way broadcast stations air political campaigns without
recourse for laid down electoral laws and broadcasting code.

He said if something is not done urgently to curb such excesses, broadcasting would be brought to disrepute.

“Contravening electoral acts is criminal, and whoever breaks the rules could be charged and prosecuted,” he said.

“Members of the public depend on broadcasters to show the way, but they collaborate with politicians who break such laws.”

According to him,
electoral laws stipulate that election campaigns will be aired from 90
days to such election and end 24 hours to the election. He said many
stations act as if they are appendages to certain political parties by
cooperating with them in breaking the law.

“Broadcasters are
in a privileged position and should be seen as such,” he said, adding
that the commission can no longer tolerate the lawlessness observed
recently.

“Political campaign broadcast now is criminal and a violation of broadcast code, which could attract sanction,” he said.

Guest lecturer at
the forum, Osakue Stevenson Omoera, said the performance of the press
decides the outcome of elections in United States of America, Germany,
Switzerland, and recently in Ghana. He said that if Ghana could do it,
Nigerian press has the more reason to abide by the rule.

Review the code

He advised that journalists should be well-remunerated to avoid being bought over by corrupt politicians.

The Zonal Director
of NTA, Layi Ademokoya, observed that the proliferation of private
broadcast organisations has not helped, as they promote the political
interests of their proprietors.

The Ondo State
commissioner for information, Ranti Akerele, called for the review of
the broadcasting code, which he said was made by the military who did
not know anything about politics or campaign.

He called on the NBC to urgently convene a stakeholders’ meeting
with a view to amending the broadcasting code, more so now that the
nation’s constitution is undergoing a review.