A firestorm has erupted in Kano State after a government directive banning all live political radio programs triggered fierce backlash from journalists, opposition parties, and civil society groups—raising serious concerns about press freedom in Nigeria’s most politically vibrant northern state.
The controversial order, signed by Sani Abba Yola, Director of Special Duties at the Kano State Ministry of Information and Internal Affairs, followed a quarterly stakeholders’ meeting. It was framed as a move to prevent inflammatory broadcasts and protect Kano’s cultural and religious fabric.
But critics aren’t buying it.
“This government is not NBC,” declared Ahmed Aruwa, spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano. “It has no right to dictate what the media can air. We will challenge this decision all the way to the Presidency.”
Aruwa and other critics see the ban as a calculated attempt by the Abba Kabir Yusuf-led administration to suppress dissenting voices and shut down critical discourse ahead of an increasingly heated political season.
In a surprising twist, Ado Saidu Warawa, Chairman of the Forum of Media Executives in Kano and General Manager of Freedom Radio, claimed the decision came from the media themselves, not the government. He cited rampant defamation by political guests as the reason behind suspending live shows.
“We acted out of professional responsibility,” Warawa said. “These programs had turned into platforms for reckless insults and misinformation.”
But not everyone in the industry agrees.
“That explanation doesn’t hold water,” countered Abubakar Haruna Galadanci, a veteran broadcaster. “Only the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) regulates broadcast content—not state governments or ministries.”
Abdurrashid Hussain of Premier Radio called it a dangerous blurring of lines between state power and media autonomy. “If media houses decided to suspend live shows, let them say it themselves. Why is the government issuing directives on their behalf?”
The tension has spilled into civil society. Comrade Auwal Usman, head of the Awareness for Human Rights and Charity Foundation, said the move reeks of authoritarianism.
“We will not comply. This is not how a democracy functions. No law gives the Kano State Government power to censor live content,” he warned.
As public pressure mounts, the state government has yet to provide a clear legal framework for enforcing the ban. For now, the standoff continues—with journalists, political figures, and rights groups united in defiance, determined to resist any attempt to muzzle free expression in Nigeria’s democratic space.
Kwankwaso congratulated the new members for joining the party at a critical time, assuring them that the NNPP remains a growing force built on conviction, not convenience.