Buhari bars AIT from covering his activities
President-elect Muhammadu Buhari has barred the African Independent Television (AIT) from covering his activities, citing issues of “ethics and standard” that need to be sorted out with the broadcast medium.
Acting on orders on Monday, security operatives at the Defence House, where Buhari is currently resident, would not let the AIT crew into the building.
Buhari received the Cuban and Switzerland ambassadors as well as other guests, but AIT was denied coverage.
Speaking on the issue Garba Shehu, spokesman of the Buhari Campaign Organisation, said: “AIT has been asked to step aside based on security and family concerns.
“In addition, Buhari has decided that they will have to resolve some issues relating to issues of standard and ethics.
“We will be talking with them to try and resolve the matter, but for now the station has been asked to stay aside because, like I said, there are some family and security concerns. They have been asked to step down their coverage until we resolve the matter with them on ethics and standards.
“You can quote me that I said that we have asked them to step aside and that we are resolving the the issues of ethics and standards with them.”
Prior to the March 28 presidential election, AIT aired a series of documentaries considered to have disparaged Buhari, his late wife and late daughter, as well as other prominent faces in the All Progressives Congress (APC).
That serve them well AIT is anti ApC and president-elect, therefore let them clear themself from any wrong doing they allow them to cover any of president-elect activities.
In democracy, you say that serves them right? What about TVC? GOD will judge. We’re back to dictatorship era where our voices will be silenced. GEJ was called all manner of unprintable names, he never arrested anyone or barred any media house. The judgement of GOD is coming…
Dts not true. GEJ ordered d seizure of newspapers dt printed stories not in his favor. Wots wrong with our long term memory in ds country? Wot wld u have buhari do? He has prevented AIT from a private event. Dts allowed given d fact that d same station hasnt seen anything wrong with wot it did prior to march 28. When its a public event however, dey wld be allowed to cover it. So pls stop with ds ur dictatorship crap. Tnk u
I find it difficult to digest the fact that those who clamoured for change will now turn around to justify suppression of freedom of information on the basis that GEJ did it. If GEJ Did and now the old General is doing it, wherein is the change? Let us tell ourselves the truth: until we see any deviation from the past, we are only in the old business of recycling the same materials.
This idea of strong men as opposed to strong Institutions should STOP here and now. We need absolute change and not relative one.
IKEM: JUDGEMENT OF GOD is coming upon you first, where were you when AIT was publishing all sort of thing abt buhari to d existent they change his face to lion face. u ar nor serious.
You said GEJ was called names by the TVC media broadcast station. Can u pls give me some of the name callings.
Don’t be shallow minded mate. Same pdp asked ncc to bar APC from using likes of mtn, etisalat to raise funds for their campaign during the election. So you don’t term that dictatorship
Nigerians will soon no how democratic GEJ is with the ways and manner he allowed things. God is really about to teach Nigerians lessons. The media Houses are in for restrictions, revenge…….
in democracy people have right and people have right to judge who ever is right or wrong, if people do wrong should be judge accordingly not to keep quit while wrong dominate the right and allowed people to do as they want. As you said, God judgment will speak for it self.
It is very uncivilized of Dokpesi and his ait to have made reference to the late wife and daughter of GMB.He has forgotten what can happen to himself tomorrow..thank God pdp’ power can no longer work for him and ait..God is Great.
N10BN was too much a bait to throw professionalism and ethics to the dogs.
AIT deserves this, No controversy!
This is absolute nonsense.Barring a media house on whimsical and capricious excuse is indicative of the intolerance of GOD’S to the media.We know what Saturday will look like fromm Friday.He should be advise to stop this type of attitude.Today it is AIT tomorrow it could be AMO..any media organisation.
What would he do to NTA?
Jide pls read story again b4 u blindly make comments. D point is dat there is pending issues on ethics & standard dat needs to be resolved by ait before they can cover event of this nature which even personal.
When was this pending issue of ethics raised by Buhari?, before the ban? we want to justify evil decision to suit our blind support. time will tell.
Whatever you sow, you will reap. AIT sowed the wind and must reap the whirlwind.
Buhari is right in putting the AIT behind the back burner for now.
I hope we have not landed ourselves in trouble with this man
Trouble indeed.
Yes, we must fight impunity in all it’s forms. No one should throw ethics and professional standards to the dogs and expect to get away with it.
I didn’t support GMB but l always took exception to anybody disparaging his person. AIT erred.
I hope other media will learn from this. There are ethics in journalism.
That is Buhari, highly intolerant!
No, highly disciplined. That’s the word!
Vindictive and lacking in statesmanship. If he felt aggrieved and had a case he should have taken AIT to court. This is not civilized conduct for a president at all . He has been badly advised and he will end up with eggs on his face, mark my word.
Buhari is not a dictator is just being principled
Gbam!
This is a pure lie. We must always check our fact before we fly it on social media. Myself with other media correspondents including AIT Reporter and cameraman covered all the activities of The President-elect Muhammadu Buhari at his temporary base at Defence House in Maitama Abuja opposite MTN office.
There are two reasons for all of man’s action(s). The good reason and the real reason. No doubt we v been told the good reason for such decision, we r yet to be told the real reason.
Jonathan wldnt hv taken such decision on media houses opposed to his reelection. Buhari pls don’t get petty.
Jonathan as d most abused and criticised president has not proscribed any or censored any organisation for not supporting his political ambition.
Its too early for this kinda fiat.
That is a very bad sign……..
I dey laugh! Buhari on Though and Words…next is Action. I dey laugh!!!
Ait should learn from this mistake…take a cue from channels tv that did professional coverage of the electoral process.
Thats true, channels TV was never bias. AIT should learn to be professional.
This another era of dictatorship, reasonable people should remind him that we are in democracy where we have freedom of information in Nigeria. For Buhari to ask ait to step aside that is a big blow to our democracy and our freedom of expression. He will not detect what should be reported about him.
Go $ sit down this boys of 20’s who are still taking food money talking about dictatorship hmmm what do you know. I. Pity you. So to you Jona. Has done very well when. They call you theif. $ you know truely you are a theif will you argue it?
The mind is a terrible thing to waste.
The gun attempt on the life of the proprietor of AIT, Dr A.R. Dokpesi, in Edo State during the March 28, 2015 election might be becoming clearer to the whole world now.
I weep for my country! We all celebrated Mandela in death, simply because he forgave his oppressors and preached peace. If this is how buhari wants to rule this country for the next 4 years! I Cringe. Please tell shehu or whatever he calls himself that this is not the time to be vindictive in our actions, rather let us all act in manners that would heal our wounded nation. Come to think of it, Going by their actions and the so called documentary(which i haven’t personally watched), the question is… isn’t this buhari the dictator at work?
Buhari is showing us how democratic he is.
For every action there is definitely a reaction.
Sure, what goes around,comes around!
AIT or. Wetin them call themselves deserves more than this !…. This will serve as a warning signal to all other media house who also intend to dabble into political issues without respecting the fundamental human of other parties… I think they should be sanctioned alongside !
i support buhari action. AIT deserved more than this because definitely dopesi could not different btw politics and business…..wat a shame and big dissapointment from the first Africa independent Television
Hmmm… Government of the people, for the people and by the people!
Security concerns could be valid concern, but making reference to campaign period activities?!.
Every zone/state where APC lost should probably begin to brace up and prepare for their own lashes: CHANGE is coming… maybe press freedom won’t even survive this.
The real Buhari (if still the khaki wearing one) will soon be unveiled.
Come to think of it, how many lies did AIT aired about APC? Were they lies? (Every licences media house has a right to cover events about the President (elect).
Soon, all those wearing ties around him will exhaust the wisdom needed to cover his actions…
Nigeria has come of age, if we did not accept Jona’s excesses, we won’t accept vindictive moves against the press, or else, in the next elections, they’ll be criminally silent to enjoy favours from the corridors of power.
Just my views.
Your CONCERN is misplace.
We can not throw ETHICS, DECORUM and DECENCY into the winds in the guise of political Campaign.
AIT is very lucky to have escaped by only been told to step aside.
If we are to met out jungle justice to pay back jungle journalism the whole AIT structures in Lagos would have been RAZED down.
Gut in the South Western part of Nigeria we are CIVILIZED.
That is the reason why AIT is still operating in Lagos
This forum should be for sound minds. If AIT has breached ethics of journalism, there are ways to bring her to book. This action is not necessary . GMB needs to be careful of those in his camp that may be urging him on to take his pound of flesh on opponents. At the end of the day, it would be him alone. Come to think of it, if GMB was stoned during campaign, what will he do now to the “culprits”? Tear them to pieces? Exile them?
Come to think of it, how many lies did AIT aired about APC? Were they lies?@ Concerned ;the documentary they aired about the president- elect, his late wife n daughter were rejected by Channels TV because in broadcasting there are ethics and standards governing the profession and that`s why some of them are being sanctioned. AIT has a presidential backing to air that hate documentary on their pay-master`s opponent.Why did all other stations reject the documentary but only AIT accepted it with a huge sum of cash reward? You can`t eat your cake and have it back. The matter is in court before now and he has GMB has the right to say who covers his activities or not. Let them pay other stations and hook up from there.IMPUNITY was their language with GEJ; now is time for Discipline and matching your words with actions in line with democratic principles.Also remember that Channels TV banned Daily Trust Newspaper from being read on their stations or their activities being covered cos of perceived lie told about them and asked daily trust to retract those statements.Till this morning their papers are no longer read on channels TV and they do the needful.So also is for AIT; They must retract those words and apologize to all viewers whose thoughts and mindset have been distorted by that documentary before we know what to do with them….
God bless you for your contribution. You have said it all
.GMB this is right step in a right direction up Baba.
Your comment..that is good
so what will happen to the south east that dis not vote for him……..
If i were Buhari i will close down the station for 2yr so they can learn their lession the hard way
They deserved so, Nigerians as a whole will believed do not work in according to standard of journalism.
This is un-presidential. The president isn’t nBC and there shd be docorum. Asiwaju approached d court for redress, the president-elect shd not be taught the basics @ this stage. Re-invention of decree 4? You guys in the 4th estate shd be ready for war.
What goes arround comes arround.
A Leopard does not change his spots.
This r d signs of things to come, intolerance of criticisms and dissent. Buhari has forgotten dat dis is democracy, well, wot do u v to say about a man dat jailed journalists and excited some thru firing squard for criticizing him.
If he were President Jonathan wot will he v done about TVC and Nation newspaper owned by Tinubu who has called d President all manner of names and written all manner of negative stories undermining d office of d president n national interest.
Leadership and Daily Trust newspapers owned by APC chieftains v all along openly endorsed, supported and encouraged Boko Haram and write anything against d president n national interst yet President Jonathan never barred dem from covering his activities or shot down their premises.
Somebody shd tell dis man dat dis is not d change Nigeria needs, d change we need which he promised us during d campaigns is TO MAKE THE NIGERIA NAIRA EQUAL TO THE US DOLLARS IN VALUE i.e 1 Naira to 1 US Dollars and 1 litre of Petrol 40 Naira and stop Boko Haram within 3 months.
I dey laugh ooo!
Well, we hear all manners of things,BUT it is crystal clear that AIT actually erred.meanwhile,stepping them down dose not mean shutting them out .it is for both parties to settle their differences and move on ,this is the spirit I see here not a witch hunt as many people have mentioned.It is not everybody that will take rubbish especially for an entity that has his Intergrity to protect.Ayo Fayose is begging up and down now……he will also reap what he has sown for sure.
AIT should have being God fearing and level headed in its activities.
Its a corrupt news station.
They need to be purged of such vises to build a civilised nation.
In the name of press freedom, you dont destroy the rules God almighty and want to get away with.
Ait should reorganise its professioal practice to help this nation!
All those making noises for ait mispress, may wish to bring themselves and families for it to publicly disparaged, insulted and humiliated not to build the nation but for thier pay master.
No prejudice and I am not supporting anyone but this is a lesson of life. We should never live for the moment.
I think this report is just to feel Nigerian’s impulse because this report is not true at all. Most commentators are so gullible and lazy to cross check the authenticity of any news for that matter before running their comments. Put a call through to AIT and you will be shocked that the report was a news to them also. Pls let’s get out of this docility.
To err is human, forgiveness is divine! GMB has to be diplomatic about this. This is democracy & more of it is expected. Thank God, we thriumphed. Sai Buhari, Sai Baba!
Freedom of expression my foot! Don’t u know the right to swing ur hand ends where my nose begins. or u don’t remember what slander and libel are. As a matter of fact and law, I have the right to who and who I allow into my abode. If GMB would not allow AIT cover his activities in his present abode, he has the right under law and common sense judging by AIT’s invasion of his private family life. U can imagine the emotional trauma the man was made to go thru again when AIT reminded him of his deceased wife and daughter.GMB is not Jesus or Mohammed or a superhuman. That’s his reaction for now. If he thinks otherwise again, he will surely act otherwise.
Besides, how sure are we that this report is correct.
we all have rights and i believe he has the rights to dictate who to be at his event, for now he is not the president so the function was his private meeting AIT is biased in broadcasting no doubt…
Of course as a President-elect he’s already ‘public property’. Or were the Ambassadors visiting him prior to his ‘election’? If it was private then he should have barred all and not singled out AIT
I think it is very clear what GMB’s team said. Step aside for now until they sort out their differences. It is not the same as banning them outright. As an individual, he has the right to tell any media house not to cover his activities. Those who are writing rubbish here should just read in between line instead of the headlines before jumping to write rubbish We all saw the documentary AIT did during the campaigns. It was way out of ethics. Even if a party gives you and paid for the documentary to be aired, the ethics of the job demands you cross check your facts before going into the press. AIT was a willing tool to all nonsense that PDP was throwing to rubbish GMB. As a matter of fact, a large number of the CDs produced for that purpose are still around Lagos. Their plan was to distribute to members of the public to disparage GMB.
Your comment..Yes. it serves them right. was it democratic for AIT to run d manner of hate campaign it did against Buhari? In their bid to run him down, they dragged his family, including d innocent dead, into a political matter. Was it ethical? Do u know how it pains to lose a loved one? Perhaps u don’t. In a civilised and democratic society, AIT would never air adverts that infringe on d privacy of an individual. They went scot free bcos they were working for Jonathan. They, and many others like u, never believed he would lose d election. As a matter of fact, d statement didn’t say AIT would never cover Buhari’s activities. it did say there were things to sort out with d media house, and I believe it was their unethical manner of reporting. This is about d president of d Federal Republicn n chances will not be taken. if u must know, AIT is PDP.
That is just the beginning. Freedom of information bill is dead AIT have to be careful the next thing will be outright ban and closure when he is sworn in.
Your comment..The truth is that ait did not support Buhari and say all manner of things about him ….so dey should ask forgives ….. Ooooo boy buhari first bomb or step. Nigerian’s watch out for part two.
Before an election, a electible candidate is candidate for some, but after election, an elected candidate becomes candidate for all. It follows DT after election, all criticism are forgone because every man has right to criticize the other
If Buhari now wants to carry on with only those who praised and supported him before and during election, then it is indicative his reign will be marked by vindictiveness. And this is far below the Nigeria Democratic levels now.
If you can’t be criticIzed, then you have very little worth. The worth of your life also show to a great extent in the gravity of criticisms against you.
there is no doubt that AIT has demonstrated and acted unprofessionally before and during the election. infact Dr A.R. Dokpesi was in Edo with soldiers rigging election for PDP. I still want president-elect to show maturity and be fair to all
AIT and its crew forgot that it’s only God that determine human destiny, not even character assassination. Raymond Dokpesi should learn how to be a national hero rather than an ethnic lord. He colluded to destroyed Buhari in their own way, but thy LORD of host brought him out and clean.
True.
These are sign of things to come
I thought the brum logo was to sweep clean Nigeria
Here we go again with politics of malice
When will this vicious circle end in Nigeria?
Am shocked with comments of persons, let a media house toil with your family, particularly with your mothers and such denigrating things about your wife’s death. Then invite such media organization to your private events. Why is our thoughts so myopic and sentimental? The president-elect has the right to ban Ait from his private events joor.
True talk, God bless you.
am truly surprised at the way people reason. I dont see what AIT did wrong. TVC did play their own game too. pls lets call a spade a spade. the president -elect should be told that its too early to go biting d other camp. Nigeria will not move up with such sentiments.
Your comment..This is not AIT first time,somebody need to stop to it.
We Nigerians need to understand what democracy is all about please and please,, lets stop takeing this country back word,,,, media of any kind weather Ait, Tvc, nta, has every right to tell nigerian or report to nigerians how and what our president elect is up to….haha look you guy has stated again,,, is not yet time but music has started ok,,lets keep watching,,
the God we sarve will show him self again,,, we will always go on our nails, , we are watching
This is a good move by gmb ait threw ethics to the dogs preelection
This whole election has only revealed that the majority of Nigerians are either myopoic in reasoning, talk without thinking or outrightly unintelligent. It seems like decades of unpleasant happenings have eaten into our system so badly. Can you beat how low people can go to justify a wrong? My people have a saying that while the dance is still to come, the antelopes’ child has broken it’s leg. Naija, make una wait. It’s too early to run commentaries. This movie has not even started yet. No be change we say we want? We go see am tire na. Like Baba, I dey laugh. As a Christian, I thank God for Goshen and Noah’s ark. Sai baba! Hahahahaha! Let the movie begin!!!
I just read few comments but didn’t u guys read tru the issues very well..tHey were asked to step aside from personal activities for security and moral reasons how is that got to do wit dictatorship and or all the complains am reading about..he has rights to tell them to stay aside his personal events and moreso its said that its being resolved till then…plss this is democracy not stupidity
In life you cannot eat your cake and still have it. The whole world was shocked at the brazen lack of professionalism displayed by AIT in the months leading to the presidential election just because of the bounty from PDP. PDP paid N5m to AIT for every 30mins of hate campaign/advert on air but Channels TV chose to be professional. Life is about choices but there are prices/consequences; hence any repeat of such unethical display in whatever form after May 29 will lead to withdrawal of its broadcasting licence, AIT should watch it.
After reading “pastor’s” rebuttal post above anyone still banters about this non existing issue, then he should be prepared to believe and fret over more lies from the enemy’s camp. All said, Buhari, like any citizen has the right to bar any offensive section of the press from covering his activities after all there are a 100 and 1 other objective and professional ones. If the Press council can sensor a media for unethical activities then the govt has the right.
Ekiti people and Fayose should be ready to face same thing with AIT so it is a sin to say something about you? Is what AIT showed to us all lies? Are dey not Tru? gmb we no and has not forgotten 1984.
I have been Buhari’s supporter from day one and will continue to be. Like millions of other Nigerians and public as well as private bodies; the AIT was porbably not Buhari’s supporter.But having won the presidential elections, the presdident–elect should not remember what happened during the campaign period.To do so, in my opinion.amounts to trivializing the essence and importance of Nigeria’s Presidency. In fact the president–elect has nothing to discuss oir trash out with AIT. He must not allow his advisers to refous his attention from the arduous job before him between now and 2019. If god will allow him to do a second term, I will to campaign based on his achievements rather than resorting to the so–called power of incumbency, like his predecessors.
May God help us.
I heard tinubu live on TVC during Katsina state rally of the APC that any thing President Goodluck jonathan touches does not prosper.What insult can be greather than this on a sitting president.GEJ did not react to that.APC should be carefull if not there will loose focuse on the needed change.By the time you go ahead to fight the opposition(PDP) you are going to make them porpular again.Dont forget nigeria factor in a hurry oooohhhh.APC BE VERY CAREFULL.