A major legal setback for the National Broadcasting Commission has raised fresh questions about its enforcement powers, as the Court of Appeal in Nigeria in Abuja upheld a ruling barring the commission from imposing fines on stations.
Delivering a unanimous judgement, a three-member panel led by Oyejoju Oyewumi dismissed the commission’s appeal for lacking merit. The court held that the NBC could not challenge the earlier decision after failing to properly contest the case at the Federal High Court.
The case stems from sanctions imposed in 2019 when the NBC fined 45 broadcast stations over alleged ethical breaches during the general election. The Media Rights Agenda challenged the action, arguing that it violated the constitutional right to a fair hearing.
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In an earlier ruling, the Federal High Court declared the fines unconstitutional, stating that the NBC acted as complainant and judge in the same matter. The latest decision reinforces that position, while a separate appeal filed by the commission on similar sanctions remains pending before the court.
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