As political campaigns begin on September 28, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) on Monday asked Nigerians to report broadcast stations airing content that “annoys their sensibilities.”

The director-general of NBC, Balarabe Ilelah, said this at a sensitisation forum on political broadcasting, with the theme, “Towards a Fair and Responsible Broadcast Coverage of the 2023 General Elections: A Multi-Stakeholders Dialogue,” held in Abuja.

“The commission also uses this opportunity to tell Nigerians that they can complain to NBC if the content on any station annoys their sensibilities or sensitivity,” Mr Ilelah said.

“Just call or email us at info@nbc.gov.ngIn your complaint, you should provide the name of the station, the title of the programme, the time and date of broadcast and the essence of the complaint. Please remember to add your name and telephone so that we can reach you for redress,” he added.

He urged broadcasters to uphold the ethics of the profession and all legal provisions guiding broadcasting nationally and internationally, as well as ensure that guests abide by the broadcasting code during campaigns.

The NBC boss enjoined broadcasters to give equal access, and opportunities to all political players registered political parties and candidates.

“This is in addition to ensuring equity in airtime allocation and coverage of political parties’ activities, particularly during prime times. It is also the time for you to make money from political adverts and campaigns but ensure that this is done within the ambit of Law.

“Broadcasters are also required to handle live political rallies with care and due professionalism. This is in addition to studio-based live political interviews/broadcasts. Because of the sensitivities of such programs, broadcasters are advised to install a delay mechanism.”

Mr Ilelah said broadcasters were not allowed to deny any group access to airtime, adding that any form of denial of access was prohibited.

“However, if your political content is indecent and hateful, then a station is allowed to turn it down and give reasons why it cannot be taken,” he stated.

Similarly, the NBC boss called on broadcasters to ensure that every partisan political broadcast was recorded off the transmission and preserved for 150 days after the broadcast.

“You are also required to stop the broadcast of any partisan political Programme 24 hours to the polling day. On election days, the broadcaster is to relay election results or winners only as announced by the authorised electoral officer.

On his part, the chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, noted that issue-based campaigns were essential for safe electioneering, adding that it would create the atmosphere for the successful deployment and conduct of all electoral activities.

He also said that campaigns should be devoid of hate speech; abusive, intemperate or slanderous language; insinuations or innuendoes likely to provoke a violent reaction; a physical attack on supporters of one party by another or destruction of campaign materials.

Citing some sections of the Electoral Acts, Mr Yakubu said it was unlawful for incumbent governments to deny opposition parties access to public facilities for rallies and excessive charges for signage

“Using the power of incumbency to deny opposition parties access to public facilities is illegal. Section 95 (2, 3, 4, 5 and 6) are unambiguous and worth quoting verbatim as follows: 95(2) the advantage “State apparatus or disadvantage including of any media political party shall not be or employed candidate to at any election.”

(NAN)