Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has faulted the N5 million fine imposed on Channels Television by the National Broadcasting Commission over an interview it granted the vice presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Datti Baba-Ahmed.
The Eagle Online recalls the NBC fined on Channels TV for the interview with Peter Obi’s running mate in the poll.
Soyinka, who challenged Baba-Ahmed to a live debate, said the anchor of the Channels TV programme: “Politics Today,” Seun Okinbaloye, made “valiant efforts” to steer the interviewee away from troubled waters.
He said in a statement on Friday: “May I seize this opportunity, by the way, to condemn the sanctions imposed on CHANNELS Television which anchored the performance of the LP candidate.
“As stated, I watched the programme keenly – saw the valiant efforts of the interviewer to ensure fair hearing.
“I fail to understand just where the station could be faulted, except from a disposition for injustice.
“To sustain that penalty is to give joy to others who turn Internet into a soakaway for their rancid emissions, yet feel that others should be silenced.
“If CHANNELS feels up to it, I offer myself willing to engage Mr. Datti – or any nominee of his – on its platform on this very bone of contention – one-on-one – without the malodorous intervention of media trolls, and with the same interviewer as mediator.
“That should be taken as a serious offer.”