With only few days until the March 18 Governorship and House of Assembly elections, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has warned broadcast stations to strictly adhere to its broadcast code, the Electoral Act, and other existing laws governing the coverage and reporting of the 2023 general elections.
Mister Balarabe Ilelah, Director General of NBC, issued the warning on Wednesday during a press conference in Abuja attended by representatives from various media organisations.
Underscoring the need for broadcast stations to be professional in the discharge of their duties, Ilelah disclosed that 25 stations were sanctioned by NBC in the course of monitoring the 2023 presidential election, while 16 stations have been given a final warning.
The NBC boss revealed that one station was sanctioned for broadcasting the results of the election before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the results which contravene section 5.33 of the NBC code.
He said 17 stations were sanctioned for broadcasting partisan party content after the prescribed 24-hour stoppage time by NBC, while four stations have been sanctioned for divisive comments.