The European Union Election Observation Mission to Nigeria has expressed concerns over how the Buhari administration politicised the allocation of licences and frequencies to radio stations in Nigeria, an exploitative measure that rendered the hundreds of broadcast stations subservient to the incumbent.
“Very high licence fees and security concerns, compounded by politicised allocation of radio frequencies have led to a media environment that is subservient to the incumbent,” the EU said in its final report on the 2023 general elections in Nigeria.
The EU also said authorities used both the “traditional and digital media” to shape the electoral choices of Nigerians. Bola Tinubu, Mr Buhari’s political ally, was declared the winner of the presidential election, despite his well-documented history of corruption and drug peddling in the United States.
The radio stations were used to reach out to the rural voters in four major languages – Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba and Pidgin English…