The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has urged all broadcast media stations to refrain from announcing election results before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) releases them.
This directive was issued by the director of broadcast monitoring, Francisca Aiyetan, in a statement released on Wednesday.
According to Aiyetan, the directive was to ensure that the media promoted a credible electoral process.
Furthermore, NBC has asked media houses to avoid using votes obtained at polling stations or from exit polls to speculate on the chances of a candidate.
In line with the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, NBC has ordered all broadcast media houses to stop all partisan political programmes and advertisements by Thursday.
“The National Broadcasting Commission wishes to underscore the enormous responsibility trust on broadcasters at this period and therefore calls for strict adherence to the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code and the Electoral Act in order to ensure sane airwave that will enable a free, fair, credible and transparent election,” the statement reads.
The NBC has enjoined broadcasters to note the following sections of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code: “The broadcaster shall ensure that the broadcast of a partisan political campaign, jingle, announcement and any form partisan party identification or symbol ends not later than twenty-four hours before polling day.
The only exception, the statement added, is when a government functionary may perform a service relating to his office within the 24-hour campaign restriction period, provided there is no colouration of partisanship by the official or the broadcaster.
“The broadcaster shall not permit any political campaign or advertisement on its facilities 24 hours preceding polling day or on polling day,” the statement reads.
“The broadcaster is therefore by this letter advised to end all partisan political programmes by 11:59pm on Thursday 23rd of February 2023. Please be advised!”
