The Independent Broadcast Association of Nigeria has called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to retract a controversial remark he made about Seun Okinbaloye, a Channels Television anchor.
In a statement signed by its chairman, Ahmed Ramalan, and acting general secretary, Fidelis Duker, IBAN also warned that it may direct its members to boycott the minister’s media engagements if he fails to issue a public apology.
The controversy stems from comments made by Okinbaloye during an episode of Channels TV’s Politics Today, where he raised concerns about the implications of Nigeria drifting toward a one-party system. He referenced the leadership crisis within the African Democratic Congress and described the party as a potential pillar of opposition ahead of the 2027 elections.
“I am particularly pained because what makes the race (elections) very interesting is when it is competitive, not when only one party stands in the middle of the ballot. There are a lot of experienced men in the ADC… particularly, it looks like one of the hopes of the opposition going into 2027. If this hope is dashed, we are doomed democratically,” Okinbaloye said.
Reacting to the broadcast, Wike expressed anger over what he perceived as bias, stating, “I was surprised yesterday; totally surprised when I was watching Politics Today. Seun, if there was any way to break the screen, I would have shot him.”
He argued that journalists should remain neutral and not express personal opinions during interviews, describing such conduct as unprofessional.
However, the minister later clarified that he had no intention of harming the journalist, saying his remarks were made out of anger.
The statement has since drawn widespread criticism, with Amnesty International describing the language as “reckless and violent.”
In its response, IBAN urged Wike to reaffirm his commitment to press freedom, citing Sections 22 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantee freedom of expression and the role of the media in holding government accountable.
“Should the minister fail to meet these requests within a reasonable period, IBAN will have no choice but to advise all independent broadcast stations to suspend coverage of all press briefings, media chats, and official news conferences hosted by the FCT minister,” the statement read.
The body emphasized that public officials must exercise restraint in their statements, especially when addressing members of the media, warning that such remarks could undermine press freedom and democratic values.
