A Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Digital Engagement, Strategy and New Media, Otega Ogra, has criticised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar over his reaction to a recent directive by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to broadcast stations.
The NBC had, in a statement on Saturday, warned television broadcasters and anchors against breaches of the Nigerian Broadcasting Code, stressing the need for fairness, balance, accuracy, and avoidance of hate speech and incitement, particularly ahead of the 2027 elections.
The commission said it would enforce “strict and uncompromised compliance” with its regulations, urging professionalism in the coverage of political and related issues.
Reacting, Atiku accused the regulator of attempting to “muzzle the media and shrink the space for free expression in Nigeria,” adding that the country’s media should not be subjected to persistent regulatory constraints, especially during election periods.
However, in a counterstatement posted on X on Sunday, Ogra faulted the former vice-president’s position, drawing parallels with a similar directive issued during the 2007 elections when Atiku was in office.
“First off, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar… are you saying the NBC regulatory warning on January 17, 2007 for broadcasters to follow the code of practice when you were VP was an attempt by your administration to illegally muzzle opposition?” Ogra said.
“Is that what you are trying to project on them now, seeing that may have been your thought process when they simply did their job back then?” he added.
The presidential aide argued that Atiku failed to distinguish between regulatory responsibilities and overreach.
“You want to contest again to lead our country yet you cannot deduce the difference between a regulator doing its regulatory work as clearly spelt out by its establishing laws, and regulatory overreach,” he said.
Ogra also criticised Atiku’s past role in Nigeria’s privatisation programme, alleging poor outcomes across several state-owned enterprises.
“No wonder almost all the actions you took as Chairman of Nigeria Council on Privatisation… led to failures across many fronts,” he said, listing entities such as NITEL, Nigeria Airways, Ajaokuta Steel Company, and others.
He further urged the former vice-president to “proofread what your handlers… are writing on your behalf.”
