DATTI-AHMED: ON CHANNELS TV, SERAP, CJID SUIT BUHARI AND TWO Other People Over A N5 Million Fine

In a lawsuit against President Muhammadu Buhari, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) ask the court to "declare arbitrary, illegal and unconstitutional the N5million fine imposed on Channels Television over a recent interview with the Labour Party vice- presidential candidate, Datti Baba- Ahmed."

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and Mr. Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture, have both been named as defendants in the lawsuit.

Recently, NBC fined Channels Television N5 million for a Datti Baba-Ahmed interview.

The interview "violated the NBC code," it was claimed.

However, the plaintiffs are asking the court to decide "whether the NBC code used to impose a fine of N5m on Channels TV and the threat of "higher sanctions" is not inconsistent and incompatible with access to information and media freedom" in the lawsuit FHC/L/CS/616/2023, which was filed last week at the Federal High Court, Lagos.

The plaintiffs are requesting "a declaration that the NBC code used by the NBC to impose a fine of N5 million on Channels TV and the threat of 'higher sanctions' is arbitrary, unconstitutional and unlawful, as it violates the rights to a fair hearing, freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom."

In order to comply with Sections 22, 36, and 39 of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended), Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the plaintiffs are asking for a court order to set aside the N5 million fine.

Additionally, they claim that "the media has the responsibility of disseminating all types of information and opinion on issues of broad interest and public interest."

The grounds for imposing a fine of N5 million on Channels TV fail to fulfill the requirements of legality, necessity, and proportionality, according to the lawsuit brought on behalf of the plaintiffs by their attorneys Kolawole Oluwadare, Andrew Nwankwo, and Ms. Blessing Ogwuche.

"Using the freedom of expression through broadcasting. Any limitations on free speech must adhere to the principles of necessity, proportionality, and legality.

The court hearing for the lawsuit has not yet been scheduled.