Documentaries on Buhari, Tinubu Are Factually Correct- Dokpesi

The lingering feud between the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari and the management of Africa Independent Television (AIT), which led to the former barring the latter from covering his event on Monday has drawn the ire of the proprietor of DAAR Communications PLC, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, who stated that the decision by the President-elect to stop AIT from covering his activities was an attempt by the former military Head of State to bring back the era of Decree 4.

Dokpesi also stated that the documentaries run by AIT on the president-elect prior to the elections were factually correct

Dokpesi made this known in an interview he granted Premium Times.

Speaking further during the interview, Chief Dokpesi said that Buhari lacks the power to stop the AIT from covering his activities, as doing so would amount to breaking the law.

“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 Silverbird. You cannot stop a foremost private station from reporting in Nigeria, it brings us back to Decree 4 era.”

Dokpesi also acknowledged that the President-elect may have taken his decision based on 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.”

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”.