The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has said it will appeal a ruling by a Federal High Court, Abuja nullifying its powers to impose fines on erring broadcast stations.
WikkiTimes had earlier reported that Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court Abuja while ruling on a suit filed by Incorporated Media Rights Agenda, declared that the commission was not a court and had no power to impose fines as punishment on broadcast stations.
He maintained that the NBC code, which gives the commission the power to impose a sanction, was in conflict with section 6 of the constitution which vested judicial powers in the court of law.
JUST IN: NBC Stopped from Imposing Fines on Broadcast Stations
Omotosho held that NBC, not being Nigeria police, had no power to conduct a criminal investigation that would lead to a criminal trial and imposition of sanctions.
While reacting to the ruling, the Director General of the commission, Balarabe Shehu Illelah, in a statement on Friday, said it had applied for a certified copy of the judgment and would appeal the verdict.
“The commission will appeal the judgment when found to be in conflict with previous judgments which empowers NBC to regulate broadcasting in Nigeria,” the agency stated.
NBC had in February 2023 imposed a N2 million fine on Arise News and TVC for an alleged breach of national broadcasting codes in the countdown to the 2023 general election.
Similarly, the commission had last month slammed a fine of N5 million on Channels Television for allegedly breaking the broadcasting law in a programme with the Labour Party Vice Presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed.
