NTA: It’s either all or nothing

On Tuesday, January 08, 2019, I watched with shocking excitement, that for the very first time since the electioneering process for the 2019 generation elections gathered enough steam, the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) actually included in its news bulletin, a campaign outing by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubukar, in Kogi State. During the campaign, he raised important issues bordering on job creation, stressing in particular that he would revamp the Ajaokuta Steel Company as well as the state-owned port in order to drive investment if elected.

But my happiness soon became a huge disillusion when I noticed that the bulletin deliberately refused to let viewers hear one word uttered by all the PDP stalwarts who spoke at the events, including Atiku himself. In sharp contrast, the news bulletin for the All Progressives Congress (APC) rally in Bauchi, which had Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Bauchi State governor, all contained their voices, resonating eloquently why President Buhari deserves a re-election.

This kind of brazen partisanship is not only unprofessional, it is also toxic and dangerous for our democracy, especially in view of the upcoming general elections as all parties are not given a level playing ground. I dare say to the Ibn Mohammed-led NTA, and by extension, those he reports to, that it is either all or nothing.