28th April, 2015
President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari has barred the African Independent Television (AIT) from covering his activities, citing issues of “ethics and standard” that need to be sorted out with the broadcast medium.
Prior to the March 28 presidential election, AIT aired a series of documentaries considered to have disparaged Buhari, his late wife and late daughter, as well as the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu.
Acting on orders on Monday, security operatives at the Defence House, where Buhari is now resident, did not let the AIT crew into the building.
When Buhari received the Cuban and Switzerland ambassadors as well as guests from Nasarawa state AIT was denied coverage.
Raymond Dokpesi, the owner of AIT was widely believed to have received over N8billion to air the controversial documentaries against APC leaders including the vice-president elect, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.
Speaking on the issue Garba Shehu, spokesman of the Buhari Campaign Organisation, said: “AIT has been asked to step aside based on security and family concerns.
“In addition, Buhari has decided that they will have to resolve some issues relating to issues of standard and ethics.
“We will be talking with them to try and resolve the matter, but for now the station has been asked to stay aside because, like I said, there are some family and security concerns. They have been asked to step down their coverage until we resolve the matter with them on ethics and standards.
“You can quote me that I said that we have asked them to step aside and that we are resolving the the issues of ethics and standards with them.”