Pascal Arogorn Ibe
.…gives 14 days ultimatum
The Campaign for Democracy (CD) and Human Rights, Liberty Access, and Peace Defenders’Foundation (HURIDE) have called on Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State to immediately reopen Ozisa FM Radio station, Owerri.
Crimefacts.news had reported how the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission suspended Ozisa FM over alleged unprofessional conduct by some staff of the station.
In a statement in Owerr,i Imo State on Friday, the two rights groups call on Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) and Governor Uzodimma to immediately reopen the radio station.
In the statement signed by Dede Uzor A, Uzor, Chairman South East of CD and Executive Director of HURIDE, the groups asked the NBC and Uzodimma to reopen the station without further delay.
Condemning the closure of the station, the rights groups alleged in the statement that NBC and Gov Uzodimma by their actions was fighting against freedom of press and speech in Imo State.
They said the action of the NBC and Governor negates the age-long principles and tenets of democracy which allows freedom of expression, saying that this “primitive and draconian action of NBC leadership and Gov Hope Uzodimma who openly supported the gruesome and public killing of unarmed Awo Omamma youths will not argue well for the development of democracy in Imo State in particular and Nigeria in general for allegedly reporting the brutal killing of 14 Igbo youths who was said to have returning from wedding ceremony in Awo omamma recently
Said the groups : “We are giving both NBC and Governor 14 days to reopen Oziza FM station or we mobilise the entire South East citizens to storm Owerri and stage massive protest”.
It is very despicable that NBC has reintroduced the abolished decree 4 of 1984 in Imo State.
They wondered why political leaders like Uzodimma are yet to intervene and would be angling to lead in a democratic set-up like ours but don’t have the credentials of democratic leadership, saying that characters like Uzodimma stunt the democratic process in NIgeria.
The rights groups called on people and organisatgoodwillood will condemn the undemocratic disposition of Uzodimma and bring pressure to bear on him not only to reopen the Oziza radio station but to allow freedom of speech to thrive in Imo State. Dede Uzor warned.
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