BY Mayowa Tijani
Muhammadu Buhari, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, has vowed to sue the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and the African Independent Television (AIT) if his demands are not met.
Buhari, who wrote a letter to director-general (DG) of NTA, Shola Omole, through the APC legal director, Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume (SAN), said a recent documentary by Africa’s first television outfit is fabricated and defamatory.
“I refer to your curious, unguarded, mischievous, fabricated, defamatory and hate documentary broadcast against All Progressives Congress and particularly its presidential candidate, His Excellency, General Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR,” Buhari wrote.
“In the hate documentary, you were goaded into carefully and intentionally turning your respected television station into a ready tool for hate groups that do not wish Nigeria well.
“Certainly, your station has, in the past, contributed a lot to Nigerian nation-building. One is therefore stunned at this ugly twist at solemn election period?”
The APC went on to say that if its demands were not met, it would “take drastic court action” against the national television.
“We demand you to do the following as a matter of urgency: (a) A letter of apology to All Progressives Congress and its presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, (b) Have a meeting with All Progressive Congress National Publicity Secretary Alhaji Lai Mohammed with view to packaging a retrieval broadcast and (c) Disclosure of the real sponsors of the hate documentary to All Progressives Congress.
“Failure on your side to comply immediately with the above demands would certainly force us to take drastic court action against you,” the party added.
In addition to this the Buhari also reached out to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), having considered it an act of human right violation.
“Campaign of hate, particularly when based on twisted facts and ill intentions, is a constructive incitement to violence. Campaign of hate is not only dehumanising; it is against the spirit of our constitution and unwholesome to national interests.
“The electorate have rights to base their evaluation of every election candidate on true facts not deceptive and cooked manipulation.
He added that the dealings of NTA and AIT contravene the conducts of the National Broadcasting Cooperation (NBC) and the NHRC, stating that the bodies investigate the documentary.
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