Dokpesi storms NASS to protest alleged NBC intimidation
By Tunde Opalana, Abuja
Founder, DAAR Communications Plc, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, on Thursday led staff of African Independent Television (AIT) and RayPower FM Radio on a protest to the National Assembly against what he described as plots by the Federal Government through the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to gag the media, suppress freedom of the press and frustrate the organization out of business .
The founder raised the alarm that the Director General of NBC, Modibo Kawu rather than assisting the deregulation of the broadcast industry is taking destructive steps to shut down AIT by foisting a N500million licensing fee on operators.
Before addressing joint legislators from the Senate and House of Representatives, he had earlier briefed the press at the premises of AIT in Asokoro area of Abuja where he said the organization is being persecuted because of his seeming relationship with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He noted the “high handedness of government in deploying all instruments of power to threaten, intimidate and harass our media organisation for my affiliation with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the government’s perceived bias by our stations in holding government, public officers and people in positions of power accountable to the people of Nigeria.
