Benchmark Naija

As reactions from well meaning Nigerians, both at home and abroad are still trailing the banning of coverage of African Independent Television of President-Elect, General Muhammadu Buhari’s programmes of activities until further notice, a human rights group in Nigeria, the Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ) has strongly condemned Buhari’s action over the plan to resuscitate the anti-democratic ethos in a democratic setting, noting that General Buhari’s action shown that the President-elect has hidden agenda in governance of this country for the next four years. The rights group however declared that General Buhari should be tutored on how to conduct the act of governance in a democratic era, believing that democracy was new in the President-Elect dictionary and strange to his nature because of his military dictatorship background, stressing that the Freedom of Press is one of the ground norms of entrenching democracy in the world. The group therefore urged the genuin...

Change is set to hit the country and there has been cases of several leaders in Nigeria turning a new leaf. Its no news that Nigeria is a very great country with a capacity of greatness. The country is endowed with vast human as well as natural resources. Despite the high revenue generated by this country from oil which is supposed to be a blessing, Nigeria has been hit by the resource course theory. This means the oil factor has been a deficiency to the development of the country. This has encouraged a high rate of corruption and desperation for political power. Several politicians have used political power as a gateway to enrich their pockets. With the emergence of Muhammadu Buhari as the new leader of the country, there seem to be so much fear in Nigeria among politicians who have massively siphoned public funds. Rumours have it that Buhari is bracing up for a massive clampdown on all corrupt officials in Nigeria. The petroleum Minister, Diezani Alision Maduekwe was smart enough to...

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has reversed the controversial decision taken by President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, to bar the Africa Independent Television, AIT, from covering his activities. The party said all accredited media organizations in the country, including the AIT, are free to cover the activities of the president elect. AIT journalists were on Monday denied access to Mr. Buhari’s temporary office when they showed up to cover his official engagements. His spokesperson, Garba Shehu, cited family and security concerns for the decision. “AIT has been asked to stay 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 res...

Security advisers of the President-Elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari on Monday barred the television crew of the African Independent Television from covering the activities of their principal until further notice.      It was gathered that the security team cited adverse security reports and ethical issues as reasons for their action. Members of the AIT crew, who were at Defence House, venue of a meeting between the President-elect and a visiting Cuban delegation, led by its Ambassador to Nigeria, were asked to leave the vicinity until further notice. The crew, who did not speak on record, insisted they would remain and continue to do their jobs because they had yet to be “formally informed.” “Yes, we were told but we cannot just leave; we have a job to do. In any case, we have not been officially informed about what we have done wrong,” one of them said. Director of Press of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation, Mallam Garba Shehu, conf...

Dr. Leonard Olalekan Shogunle, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP claims to have consulted oracles in India,China and Pakistan on the fate of President Goodluck Jonathan in the forthcoming presidential elections.  According to DAILY INDEPENDENT, Shogunle said the oracles assured him that President Jonathan will win the elections.  Shogunle said, ''Don’t assume I was kidding with my submission. I am a real Lagosian born in the Mainland during the Lagos Colony. I am 69 years old. My great grandfathers, though, migrated from Abeokuta in Ogun State to settle in Lagos, we own Abule Onigbagbo in Maryland. ''I am from Lagos Mainland so I am a real Lagosian. If I asked a spiritualist to do that for me in the country, some people would have doubts and rubbish the fellow. This year’s general election is no joke. Nigerians must be guided in the right direction. ''Last month, I went to Pakistan, Indian and up to the extreme end of China in Yung where I consul...

Muhammadu Buhari, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC has pulled out of a presidential debate organised by CHANNELS TV.  Director of Media and Communication of the Buhari Campaign Organisation, Dele Alake announced Buhari's withdrawal during Monday’s edition of Channels’ TV Sunrise Daily. Alake said Buhari was pulling out of the Debate because the APC had intelligence reports which suggests that the organizers of the debates are partisan in nature and pro PDP. You will recall that after Buhari and APC raised the issue of bias on the part of the organisers the NEDG and the platform is under the control the of the government, CHANNELS TV offer to host the 2  candidates to a debate

The Presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, General Muhammadu Buhari (ret), has threatened to take legal action against the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, and the African Independent Television, AIT, for airing hate broadcasts against his personality. This came on a day the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, warned all broadcasting stations operating in the country to adhere strictly to the provisions of the broadcasting code or risk sanctions. In a protest letter lodged through the Legal Director of APC Presidential Campaign Council, Mr. Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume, SAN, Buhari, insisted that the two television stations must not only retract the “hate documentaries,” but also issue a public apology to him. He said he would not hesitate to seek legal remedy should the television houses refuse to comply with the conditions. Besides, the APC candidate said he had already petitioned the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission, NBC, and the National Human Rights Co...