The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly criticized Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago for ordering the closure of Badeggi FM, a private radio station, labeling it an “authoritarian excess” and a “brazen assault on press freedom.”
In a statement by National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi on August 2, 2025, the ADC condemned the move as a “dangerous slide toward dictatorship” and a threat to Nigeria’s democratic values, particularly under All Progressives Congress (APC)-led states.
The ADC described Bago’s immediate shutdown order as reminiscent of “the worst form of military dictatorship,” arguing it violates constitutional guarantees of free expression and press freedom.
The party highlighted a pattern of executive overreach among APC governors, citing Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo’s recent declaration of Labour Party’s Peter Obi as persona non grata as another example of suppressing dissent.
“Governor Bago needs to be reminded that he was elected by the same people whose truth he now finds uncomfortable,” the ADC stated, emphasizing that only the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), under Section 2(1)(b) of the NBC Act, has the legal authority to sanction broadcast stations, not state governors.
The party warned that such actions undermine constitutional rights to speech, association, and movement, urging respect for democratic principles.
“By criminalising free speech and declaring dissent as treason, Governor Bago has demonstrated the scant regard he has for the very constitution he swore to uphold,” the party said. “For an elected governor to accuse citizens of the highest crime in the land—treason—because they dared to broadcast information that made him uncomfortable, is outrageous in every respect.”
The ADC warned that allowing this act to go unchallenged would set a dangerous precedent that could undermine press freedom and civil liberties nationwide.
“Today it is Badeggi FM—tomorrow it could be a newspaper, a social media platform, or a journalist asking the ‘wrong questions.’ This is how autocracy begins: not with tanks in the streets, but with microphones being seized and studios being bulldozed,” the party warned.
Calling on Nigerians to resist what it termed “creeping dictatorship,” the ADC demanded the immediate unsealing of Badeggi FM and the launch of an independent probe into the alleged misuse of security operatives for political retaliation.
The party also urged the National Assembly to act swiftly in reinforcing the autonomy of the NBC to insulate the nation’s broadcast regulatory framework from political interference.
“Governor Bago must be held accountable, not just for trampling on constitutional rights, but for setting a precedent that endangers democracy itself,” it added.
