Ayefele and Ajimobi when the governor went to be interviewed in the Radio Station
Socio-Economic
Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) has sent an open letter
to Senator Abiola Ajimobi, Governor, Oyo State requesting him to
“immediately halt all further eviction and demolition of Fresh FM
building and to show full respect for the safety and dignity of
residents and owner of Fresh FM. We also urge you to immediately
begin repairs of the Fresh FM building and to adequately compensate
the radio station and its owner and publicly guarantee
non-repetition.”
The
organization urged Ajimobi to “ensure full and effective respect
for the rights to freedom of expression and media freedom in Oyo
State. We
request that you take this step within 7 days of the
receipt and/or publication of this letter, failing which SERAP will
take national and international legal actions to compel your
government to act in the public interest and the overall interest of
the rule of law.”
In
the letter 21 August 2018 and signed by SERAP deputy
director Timothy Adewale the organization said, “We have
information to suggest that the destruction of Fresh FM was
based on political considerations and retaliation against the radio
station on purported allegations of defamation against you. The facts
suggest that the demolition of Fresh FM building failed to comply
with the principle of lawfulness and reasonableness. The demolition
was neither done in the public interest nor carried out to achieve a
legitimate aim.”
The
organization said, “This apparently unlawful action has set a bad
precedent, and created a high level of uncertainty and anxiety among
many radio stations and other media organizations in Oyo State about
the future because of the likelihood of their buildings being
demolished when they are deemed to broadcast views which the Oyo
State authorities may consider too critical or ‘defamatory’.”
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