₦airaland Forum

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has condemned the recent “authoritarian actions” of Governor Umar Bago of Niger State, describing it as an assault on press freedom.

On Friday, Governor Bago, ordered the commissioner of police to seal off Badeggi FM radio station over alleged incitement of violence.

The governor in a statement by Bologi Ibrahim, his chief press secretary, said the “daily activities of the radio station have been unethical”.

But the ADC said the development reveals a disturbing pattern of executive overreach, disdain for constitutional rights, and a steady erosion of democratic norms under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The party stated that Bago’s decision to shut down Badeggi FM “with immediate effect” is nothing short of a brazen assault on press freedom and a clear violation of the rule of law in a manner reminiscent of military dictatorship.

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the party is concerned about the growing dictatorial tendencies among the state governors of the ruling party, APC.

“We recall the recent public statement made by the APC Governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, declaring the presidential candidate of the Labour Party and a leading member of the coalition movement persona non-grata in Edo State.

“Now this: Another APC Governor of Niger State, Muhammed Umaru Bago, has just announced a clamp down on a private radio station in the state, with “immediate effect” in a manner reminiscent of the worst form of military dictatorship.”

ADC said Bago needs to be reminded that he was elected by these same people whose truth he now finds so uncomfortable that he is willing to have their heads.

According to ADC, the cardinal principle of liberal democracy are the freedoms it guarantees, which includes freedom of speech, movement or association, “Under our constitution, no one has the power to truncate these freedoms under any pretext whatsoever. But it does appear that the APC governors who consider themselves as some kind of emperors need to be educated on this democratic principle.

“If the said radio station has behaved unethically in any way or has transgressed the limits of free speech, there are provisions in the laws for legitimate redress and there are institutions saddled with the responsibility of ensuring compliance. Under Section 2(1)(b) of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Act, the power to sanction a radio station rests solely with the NBC—not with any state governor.


“By criminalizing free speech and declaring dissent as treason, Governor Bago has demonstrated the scant regards he has for the very constitution that has sworn to uphold. For an elected governor to accuse ordinary citizens of the highest crime in the land, which is treason, and then proceed to summarily pronounce them guilty all by himself, just because they dared to broadcast information that made the governor uncomfortable is outrageous in every respect.

“The ADC warns that if this act is allowed to stand, it would set a precedent that will further imperil press freedom across the country. Today it is Badeggi FM—tomorrow it could be a newspaper, a social media platform, or a journalist asking the “wrong questions.” This is how autocracy begins: not with tanks in the streets, but with microphones being seized and studios being bulldozed.”

CapitalBank:
Very evil party that must be kicked out of our political space by everybody

helinues:
Hahahah, because they refused to join a sinking ship ADC..

The joker coalition

Ofunaofu:
https://dailytrust.com/badeggi-fm-some-apc-governors-behaving-like-emperors-adc/

CapitalBank:
Very evil party that must be kicked out of our political space by everybody

KillahPriest:
confusion !! Confusion !! Same you condemned the actions of the governor over this same radio station closure and now here you are talking offside because ADC has also condemned the actions of Bago. Something that even the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission has also condemned and told the governor he has no such powers to close down a radio station. Helping, why not just pick a side of good for once and stand by it ? Na wa

helinues:
Which morality are those in ADC using to be condemning Gov Bago?

Should pot be calling kettle black

KillahPriest:
aside from a complete lack of logical and deductive reasoning, I hope you had a hard look in the mirror before replying. Happy Sunday my G and have a blessed week

helinues:
Which morality are those in ADC using to be condemning Gov Bago?

Should pot be calling kettle black

Ofunaofu:
helinus, don't change your stance just because you don't like the ADC. If you condemned something as bad before, you should still condemn it now. Below, you criticized what the governor did, calling it authoritarian like it's a military rule. Now the ADC is doing the same thing, but because you dislike them, you're suddenly changing your position. Try being consistent for once in your life.

CapitalBank:
Very evil party that must be kicked out of our political space by everybody

helinues:
Hahahah, because they refused to join a sinking ship ADC..

The joker coalition

Ezmans:
Even the illiterate from Edo called himself sheriff in town but can't spell it in paper

helinues:
I am not a politician, I have never been elected into any political position. I have right to question any of the politicians.

If those who are in ADC are also politicians and not different from Bago, which moral justification are they using to be questioning the governor?

Btw, would you people have condemned Bago if he was in LP? That's the difference with our politics. We are sensitive with issues

Ofunaofu:
You don’t need to be a politician to understand the basics of consistency and principle. The point isn’t whether ADC, LP, or APC members are saints. it’s about condemning authoritarian actions regardless of who’s doing them. If ADC politicians are calling out the same behavior they’d be guilty of, that’s hypocrisy and it should be called out. But if they’re right on the issue at hand, their party affiliation doesn’t suddenly make the criticism invalid.

And yes, some of us, infact I in particular would’ve dragged Bago even if he were in LP. Not everyone is stuck in party-worship mode. Try calling out bad behavior without checking the logo first. Be consistent

Oakenshield:
When he leaves power na him go still go back to media and sing about bad leadership

Holdup247:
hahaha, tie your heart rope because 2027 will be abracadabra... no body can stop PBAT and all the governors... Daddy WIKE is cooking...

helinues:
You have as usual run out of ideas hence attacking personality.

Respond to the topic of discussion and stop ejo wewe

KillahPriest:
you have no moral right to talk about black pots and pans, you have no clout or leverage on that topic honestly. Your antecedents are legendary