Some television and radio station owners in Nigeria have distanced themselves from a position taken by the Independent Broadcast Association of Nigeria over comments involving the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, saying the stance does not represent them.
The reaction followed a statement credited to IBAN threatening to boycott the minister’s media engagements unless he apologises to Seun Okinbaloye of Channels Television over a recent exchange during a programme.
One of the broadcast owners, Yusufu Mamman, who owns JKD Television and Hamada Radio Network, said the IBAN position should not be taken seriously. He argued that the association’s chairman, Ahmed Tijjani Ramalan, does not have the authority to speak on behalf of independent broadcasters across the country.
Mamman explained that as a media owner with multiple outlets, he does not belong to IBAN and would not support calls for any boycott, especially as the minister had already clarified his earlier remarks. He added that the issue had been addressed both during the live programme and through a follow-up explanation by the minister’s spokesperson, who stated that the comment was not intended to cause harm.
He also questioned the credibility of the IBAN leadership, noting that the group’s position reflects a personal opinion rather than a collective decision of broadcast stakeholders. According to him, there is no basis for escalating the matter further.
The development comes amid reactions within the media space over the exchange between Wike and the television anchor, with differing views on how the situation should be handled.