‘Buhari can’t bar AIT,’ DAAR boss says

monjola sotubo

April 29, 2015 12:59 PM

This follows reports that Buhari had barred the network, which is a DAAR subsidiary, from covering his meeting with the Cuban ambassador on Monday, April 27, 2015.

Owner of Daar Communications, Raymond Dokpesi, has said that President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari does not have the authority to bar Africa Independent Television (AIT) from covering his activities.

This follows reports that Buhari had barred the network, which is a DAAR subsidiary, from covering his meeting with the Cuban Ambassador on Monday, April 27, 2015.

Dokpesi stated that any attempt by the President-elect to prevent coverage by AIT would be tantamount to breaking the law.

“I am sure that the President-elect needs to be reminded of Decree 4, and he should be clearly reminded that section 32 of the constitution makes it mandatory for the media to hold public officials accountable to the people,” Dokpesi told Premium Times on April 29.

“The president-elect said that he does not want to be covered by AIT, but AIT has a responsibility to the Nigerian public to report the things that are happening,” he added.

Buhari’s aide had said that AIT would be prevented from covering the President-elect’s activities pending the resolution of certain issues between both parties.

The All Progressives Congress (APC), Buhari’s party, however overruled the decision saying that every accredited media organization was free to cover the President-elect’s functions.

monjola sotubo