On Saturday night, the government of Zamfara State announced the shutdown of some broadcast stations.
Two of the affected stations are owned by the federal government while the other three are privately owned.
In an announcement made on Zamfara Radio by the information commissioner in the state, Ibrahim Dosara, Mr Matawalle ordered the immediate shutdown of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Gusau, Federal Radio Corporation Pride FM Gusau, Al’umma TV, Gamji FM and Gamji TV.
In the announcement that was repeated several times in the Hausa Language, Mr Matawalle also asked the state police commissioner, Kolo Yusuf, to ensure full compliance with the order.
There is no indication that the Zamfara government got permission from Nigeria’s broadcast regulator, NBC, to sanction the media houses.
Both the information commissioner, Mr Dosara, and the governor’s spokesperson, Zailani Bappa, did not respond to calls and SMS sent to them for further comments about the order.
The state government gave no reason for its action beyond saying the stations violated government order and journalism practice.
PREMIUM TIMES has now learnt from sources in the state that the affected media organisations were shut down because the governor of the state, Bello Matawalle, was irked that the stations broadcast the campaign event of the governorship candidate of the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dauda Dare, on Friday.
How journalists incurred Matawalle’s wrath
Before the order banning the broadcast stations, the state government, through Mr Dosara, Friday issued a statement banning, amongst other things, all political gatherings in the state till further notice.
Mr Dosara said the decision was due to the resurgence of the activities of terrorists in the state.
He said the governor ordered the immediate suspension of all APC meetings and activities as part of his government’s concern and sympathy with people and communities attacked by bandits.
“Stakeholders invited for the Friday APC Stakeholders’ Meeting are hereby advised to hold on for a new date for the meeting.
“Furthermore, the government has suspended all political activities in the state till further notice.
“Political meetings and gatherings at individual residences are also banned with immediately
Nigeria’s electoral commission, INEC, which regulates campaign and election activities, had earlier announced the commencement of campaigns for the 2023 general elections across the country.
Perhaps buoyed by the INEC guideline but in an apparent disregard of the Zamfara government’s directive, the PDP candidate, Mr Dare, returned to the state from Abuja to receive thousands of supporters at a rally aired by the broadcast stations.
“The governor was angry,” a top source at the Zamfara Government House told PREMIUM TIMES.
“If you know him you would know that he hates it when someone tries to belittle him. He can take any action,” said the source who asked not to be named as he has no permission to speak to journalists.
“He wanted to send a message to the opposition but this is a political season and I believe he is wrong.”
He added that Mr Matawalle immediately directed his information commissioner to question the general managers of the stations about why they aired the PDP rally.
“I don’t know what happened during the discussion. Maybe the journalists didn’t agree with the government’s demands. But I knew that the decision to shut them was taken because of that action,” he said.
APC, PDP clash
Meanwhile, the PDP rally welcoming its governorship candidate from Abuja, ended in violence as supporters of the ruling APC clashed with those of the PDP.
Following the violent clashes at the event, the APC accused the PDP of inciting violence by attacking innocent residents, but the opposition party accused APC supporters of attacking its members who attended the rally.
At least one person was confirmed dead while 14 others sustained various injuries, according to a statement by the State Anti Thuggery Committee boss, Bello Bakyasuwa.
He said the 14 wounded people have been taken to the Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital fit medical attention.
Subsequently, in a statement, the publicity secretary of the APC in the state, Yusuf Idris-Gusau, said the government would not “watch this matter rest because these criminals are trying to bring into the state capital what we always accused them of doing at the fringes.”
He said the opposition party disrupted the monthly sanitation exercise. He alleged that members of the party shot some residents during the event.
“The security agencies should also uncover how and where the PDP/Dauda boys secured such dangerous firearms which we believe they have more in their custody waiting to use them in the upcoming 2023 general elections,” he added.
But in a swift reaction, the PDP claimed it was APC-sponsored thugs who attacked its members.
Mr Dare, in a statement, said Mr Matawalle is stifling the democratic process.
He argued that their rally was in tandem with the provision of the Independent National Electoral Commission announcing the commencement of gubernatorial campaigns.
“Today, the thugs led by one Aliyu Alhazai Shinkafi, the former chairman of the Zamfara Anti-thuggery committee and Commandant of the Zamfara Road Traffic Agency (ZAROTA) attacked the residence of PDP gubernatorial candidate. Alhazai led thugs barricaded the road leading to Lawal’s residence and venue, setting parameter for the attack. In the renewed unprovoked attack, our campaign buses were vandalized and looted.
“We know the APC and the Matawalle-led government intends to unlawfully use force to stop our campaign activities across the Zamfara. The hooliganism we were not praying for has returned to the state. The issue is a source of concern.”
