A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted Media Rights Agenda (MRA) leave to sue the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) in two separate cases over the commission’s failure to grant the group’s requests for information on the scope of independence reportedly granted by President Muhammadu Buhari and details of the 302 broadcast stations it allegedly sanctioned in four months after campaigns for the 2023 elections began in September, 2022.
MRA in press statement, Monday, said Justice Nkeonye Evelyn Maha granted MRA leave to apply to the court to compel the NBC to make available to it the information it requested after hearing arguments from the organisation’s lawyers in two separate exparte motions in which it complained that the commission had failed to respond to two separate applications for information.
The first, dated February 17, 2023 and signed by Ms Maimuna Momoh, a Programme Officer at MRA; and a second letter dated February 20, 2023 and signed by Mr. Monday Arunsi, MRA’s legal officer.
The group noted that in the first suit filed on its behalf on March 20, 2023 by its lawyer, Mr. Tale Alabi, against the NBC and the Attorney-General of the Federation, MRA sought an order granting it leave to apply for a review pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, 2011 and for the court to direct the NBC to make available to the organisation the information it requested by its letter, dated February 17, 2023, namely:
“A list of the 302 stations sanctioned by the NBC between September 28, 2022 and January 31, 2023, detailing the names and locations of the stations; and for each of the 302 stations on the list, the name of the individual or entity which made the complaint against the station leading to the NBC sanction, the date of the complaint and details of the complaint or allegation made against each station.”
