Suspended Nigerian Broadcast station, Back On Air
The suspended Nigerian Broadcast station, Daar Communications Owner of AIT and Raypower radio station are now back on air .
The development comes after Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja Nigeria ,on Friday 7th June, granted an ex-parte order that restored the operating licenses suspended by the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) over alleged failure to abide by broadcasting code.
The chairman and founder of DAAR Communications Plc, Aleogho Dokpesi had a different opinion and described the NBC’s action as efforts by the All Progressive Congress, APC, led Federal Government to gag the med and suppress free speech.
He further said,The National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, and the government in power are not comfortable with the broadcast industry because of its courageous and dogged stance in informing Nigerians on happenings in the country.
“We are in a Democracy and must all rise to defend Nigeria from anti-democratic forces”
Meanwhile, cited as Respondents in the suit the plaintiff filed through its lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, were the NBC, the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture (FMIC) and the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF. The plaintiff equally filed an affidavit of urgency, wherein it urged the court to quickly intervene in the matter.
Also, the plaintiff had sought to restrain the Respondents, its agents or privies, from interfering with its operations in any manner whatsoever, pending the determination of its application for injunctive reliefs.
However, in his ruling, Justice Inyang Ekwo, said he was minded to grant the alternative relief to restore the status quo that was in existence as at when the matter was brought before the court for adjudication. The court therefore issued, “An order for the maintenance of status quo ante bellum as at 30th of May, 2019, pending the hearing and final determination of the motion on notice filed along with this application”. Justice Ekwo said he would not hesitate to sanction the plaintiff if the court is later convinced that the order was made in error.
