The proprietor of Daar Communications PLC, Raymond Dokpesi, has stated that Monday’s decision by the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, to bar one of its subsidiaries, Africa Independent Television, from covering his activities was an attempt by the former military Head of State to bring back the era of Decree 4.

Mr. Dokpesi said Mr. Buhari lacks the power to stop the AIT from covering his activities, as doing so would amount to breaking the law.

Mr. Buhari as Head of State promulgated Decree 4, tagged Public Officers (Protection Against False Accusation) on March 29, 1984.

The law was drafted to punish authors of false statements and reports that exposed the Buhari administration and/or its officials to ridicule or contempt. Many journalists were arrested and jailed under the law.

Mr. Buhari’s party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, on Tuesday reversed the decision of the president-elect to stop AIT, saying all accredited media houses are free to report on his activities.

But speaking exclusively to PREMIUM TIMES Tuesday, Mr. Dokpesi stated that Mr. Buhari should be reminded that he cannot return Nigeria to the era of Decree 4.

“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,” he said.

He also said Section 39 of the constitution equally grants Nigerians the freedom of expression and to hold opinion.

“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 said.

“There are three national networks available for national coverage in Nigeria, the NTA, AIT and Silverbirds. You cannot stop a foremost private station from reporting in Nigeria, it brings us back to Decree 4 era.”

Mr. Dokpesi also acknowledged that Mr. Buhari may have taken his decision based the documentaries ran by the station during the electioneering campaign.

He said Daar Communications is a commercial entity and therefore reserves the right to run anything it considers worthy of being televised. He said there is also a right of response available to anyone who feels strongly about any matter broadcast by the station.

“If they had produced their own documentary to say this is what we want and AIT did not publish it, then that is another matter,” he said.

“What is obviously very clear is the fact that AIT believes that the historical information about the President elect that were ran, were factually correct. Nothing was done to defame him or impinge on his character or integrity.”

Mr. Dokpesi also added that another documentary about one of the national leaders of APC, Bola Tinubu were also factually correct.

The media proprietor said although the documentaries were produced outside of Daar communications, “We take responsibility for the running of these items and I as an individual is satisfied because due diligence was followed in ensuring that the things that are contained were factually right”.

Source: http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/182230-buhari-has-no-powers-to-stop-ait-from-covering-him-dokpesi.html?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

Haba...this is a very simple matter na...why is GMB sef in a hurry.

Baba cool down...leave the eediot to continue ranting...

NBC wrote a query to AIT and he has not responded...because he has the backing of Jonathan...but after May 29, the way NBC will close down that station until further notice ehn...even Buhari will not be able to beg them.

Just wait n see

This dokpesi is a fool. You still dey make mouth abi,wait till may29,u go hear something. Old Fool.

BlackMaria:
This dokpesi is a fool. You still dey make mouth abi,wait till may29,u go hear something. Old Fool.

Just shut up!

Interesting. Ait has the power to insult anyone.

Oga Titus..ehem.. U too pompus, now alarm don bust...

Obiagelli:
Interesting. Ait has the power to insult anyone.

abi o, the power to remind us about how someone's daughter died too!

Nigeria is a very big bush jungle I tell you

Dokpesi abi na dopemu shut up already

Mr Buhari will not be allowed to Bring back Decree4 through the back door. He wanted to test ground with Ait to see whether he will have his way in preparation for a more tougher action against the Press. Buhari better focus on governance and understand his power as President-elect/Presiden. He should stop subjecting himself to public ridicule. If Alhaji Buhari is unsatisfied he should seek legal redress.

@Dokpesi: be rest assured that democratic Nigerians are behind the Press.

Buhari go sweat for yansh he never see anything, I have always believed that the same confused Nigerians that voted Buhari will still chant 'Jonathan would have been allowed 2nd Term'......once a dictator, always a dictator. If Jonathan endure all the insults from social media I wondered why Buhari cannot jejely endure being called Mumu for the next 4years if he behaves like one.... Buhari go wound o I swear.. right on point Chief Raymond Dokpesi

Eyepencil:
Just shut up!

Or else what. You Fool.
When AIT was showing that damaging video,u never told dem to shut up,u come here showing stunts.
U dey Mad.

BlackMaria:
This dokpesi is a fool.
You still dey make mouth abi,wait till may29,u go hear something. Old Fool.

You must be a kid right? Now go back to your lesson class, it's about time

Dokpesi still has the guts to talk after using his biased station to insult Buhari.

He should redeem the image of his useless station as the first privately owned TV station and stop forcing his broadcast media on Buhari anywhere he goes to.

Na by force?

tomakint:
Buhari go sweat for yansh he never see anything, I have always believed that the same confused Nigerians that voted Buhari will still chant 'Jonathan would have been allowed 2nd Term'......once a dictator, always a dictator. If Jonathan endure all the insults from social media I wondered why Buhari cannot jejely endure being called Mumu for the next 4years if he behaves like one.... Buhari go wound o I swear.. right on point Chief Raymond Dokpesi

@Members of the Church of Anger: I understand that you are always angry and abuse kill anyone that ccriticize Alhaji Buhari. Make una continue...

"What is obviously very clear is the fact that AIT believes that the historical information about the President elect that were ran, were factually correct. Nothing was done to defame him or impinge on his character or integrit.”

This man has lost all common sense of decency if he claimed that all that was run by AIT in that documentary where facts and not lies.......



His days are numbered

Just get a life, u don't expect him to be a coward just bcus u are, he made his statements based on the constitution of the country and anything contrary to it is a mere beer parlour gossip that can never hold any water in a democratic setting, I don't know why u guyz keep thinking that buhari has the right to do whatever he likes, mind u, as a president his actions and inactions will be guided by the constitution and he will always have people local and international watching him. So u guyz should stopp putting ur devilish hope on him, else he become a monumental failure

BlackMaria:
This dokpesi is a fool.
You still dey make mouth abi,wait till may29,u go hear something. Old Fool.

No wonder Yoruba Say "Egbe Eye leye nwoto" U go fear Nation T.V na.. AIT, NTA and Silverbird.. Truly National

“There are three national networks available for national coverage in Nigeria, the NTA, AIT and Silverbirds.

Who made these three National Networks? - When AIT & Silverbird are owned by ND & PDP stalwarts. You can be rest assured that Channels & TVC will replace those two.

I hope Dokpesi made enough $$ during the presidential campaigns to last him the next 4-8 years, cos his station will have very little FG patronage.

barcanista:
Mr Buhari will not be allowed to Bring back Decree4 through the back door. He wanted to test ground with Ait to see whether he will have for a more tougher action against the Press. Buhari better focus on governance and understand his power as President-elect/Presiden. He should stop subjecting himself to public ridicule

A day Shall come, U shall wake up and u shall ask urself, what av I bn doing?, why am I doing this?. Mark my words Barcanista.... We shouldn't be blinded by Hatred, anger and party or candidate sentiments to the extent DAT all we want to see everyday is negative, Failure, mistakes news or wishes either relating to one person or the other and start with various comments thinking u Ar doing urself great justice or u derive joy from that. Try and thread softly, Try and think deeply bro... U can be opposition if u want but not this way u Ar doing it... I respected u though... I hop I will still be able to

Baba1chance doesnt know the difference between military govt and democracy

but we are not in military era,

tomakint:

You must be a kid right? Now go back to your lesson class, it's about time

Can u pls take a minute to read,what u just posted. It makes no sense.
Lyk Jonad^ft,lyk tomakint.

Ode•kpesi should be ashamed of himself. He turned his broadcast house to PDP owned media by broadcasting extreme calumny. He is now quoting one rubbish law. If he were to be a sensible human, is not suppose to ensure that his media house play a neutral role in political matters.

barcanista:


@Members of the Church of Anger: I understand that you are always angry and abuse kill anyone that ccriticize Alhaji Buhari. Make una continue...

Buhari must have thought that today's democracy is a 'Tea Party', I wondered what is wrong with him and why he keeps getting irritated at little things he should wait after May 29 when 'bigger things' will be hurled at him *Politics is Serious Business*

You don't expect everyone to sing your praise. Sometimes your true critics are of more of a friend than those that sing praise to all your actions. There should be freedom of expression Obama suffered even more when he was campaigning.
GMB promised freedom of speech to media & press shortly when he was elected so he should be follow like he said and that's what expected in a democratic setup

Promise on freedom of speech
http://www.voiceofnigeria.org/nigeria/buhari-promises-press-freedom.html
http://www.mailexpressonline.com/buhari-promises-freedom-of-speech-press/

Most foolish business man ever

KINGSNEEZE:
Just get a life, u don't expect him to be a coward just bcus u are, he made his statements based on the constitution of the country and anything contrary to it is a mere beer parlour gossip that can never hold any water in a democratic setting, I don't know why u guyz keep thinking that buhari has the right to do whatever he likes, mind u, as a president his actions and inactions will be guided by the constitution and he will always have people local and international watching him. So u guyz should stopp putting ur devilish hope on him, else he become a monumental failure

I wanted to give u a reply,but wen I went thru,what u put out,I discovered it's ntn but rubbish.
Dude,av u had brk-fast.

My candid advice to this Jonathan house boy is to manage all the money he got from Jonathan very well, cos Nigerians won't be ready to contribute to save him the moment he runs dry. A lot of us are angry with him for the unethical role he played because of his corrupt hero during the election period, forgetting the position of power isn't forever.
A lot of things will work against him in this dispensation even without Buhari's knowledge. People are ready to pay him back for supporting a govt that has robbed people's future.

BlackMaria:

Can u pls take a minute to read,what u just posted. It makes no sense.
Lyk Jonad^ft,lyk tomakint.

Exactly my thought, you are not expected to comprehend my submission, the more reason you are advised to go to your lesson class for more brush up!

And who holds media houses that violate the ethics of their profession to book? Who holds them to account? Are you telling me that Ait has carte blanche to talk shyt about Buhari and get away with it all coz of "freedom of the press"? Where's the regulatory NBC in all these? Oh, I forgot they've been compromised by the ruling PDP. Omo, funk that. And yeah.. b4 I forget, fo.kc Dokpesi 2.

tomakint:

Exactly my thought, you are not expected to comprehend my submission, the more reason you are advised to go to your lesson class for more brush up!

I don't comprehend useless sentences in the 1st place.
Tomakint is as clueless as president ebele jon^daft.

There are a thousand and one legitimate reasons to shut down AIT and the chairman is still bragging?




Shameless people.