The Independent Broadcast Association of Nigeria (IBAN) has called on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, to issue a public apology over a remark he made about Channels Television anchor Seun Okinbaloye.
In a statement on Monday, IBAN’s chairman, Ahmed Ramalan, and acting general secretary, Fidelis Duker, said the minister should retract a comment made during a media interaction which they described as inappropriate and unbecoming of a public office holder.
The association said the remark followed a broadcast of Channels Television’s political programme Politics Today, during which Okinbaloye voiced his views on the state of Nigeria’s democracy.
Wike later told journalists that he was angered by the commentary and added that, "If there was any way to break the screen, I would have shot him."
IBAN said such language, even when used figuratively, was unacceptable and risked undermining the safety and professionalism of broadcast journalists.
READ ALSO: Seun Okinbaloye Says He Will Not Be Intimidated by Wike's Comments
The body warned that it would consider coordinated action if an apology was not forthcoming.
According to the statement, failure by the minister to apologise within a reasonable timeframe would prompt IBAN to advise independent broadcast stations to suspend coverage of all press briefings, media chats and official news conferences organised by the FCT minister.
"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," IBAN said.
The association said it expected a prompt response to allow normal media coverage to continue without disruption.
"We hope the minister will take the necessary corrective action so that normal coverage can continue without interruption," the statement added.