Channels Television has dismissed claims by Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), that the station benefited from his “benevolence” through land allocation in Abuja.
Speaking on Thursday’s edition of Morning Brief, Kayode Okikiolu, one of the programme’s anchors, said the property housing the station’s headquarters in Abuja was allocated long before Wike became FCT minister.
Wike had alleged during a media chat on Wednesday that Channels Television was making money from land allocated to it in Guzape. He also claimed journalists and media organisations were paid for the interview session.
Responding to the allegation, Okikiolu said the land was legally allocated to Channels Television in 2007 for commercial purposes.
“The property which houses our national headquarters in the Guzape area of Abuja, that land actually was allocated to CTV, as Channels Television, on March 6, 2007, 19 years ago, for commercial purposes by the then FCT minister,” he said.
“We can confirm to you that all of the required fees and charges were fully paid.
“So, the statement that Channels is making money from the land allocated to it in Guzape, made by the FCT minister during the media chat, is not correct. We can say that unequivocally.”
MEDIA HOUSES WERE PAID
Okikiolu also addressed Wike’s claim that media houses were paid for the interview, saying the station had disclosed before the broadcast that it was a live coverage arrangement.
According to him, television stations incur operational costs in deploying outside broadcast equipment and personnel for extended live coverage.
“We gave a full disclosure just before it started that it is live coverage,” he said.
“To get that to our viewers, the stations have to deploy the outside broadcasting van, a crew of up to six, sometimes more.
“Our fees are out there. We are a news and broadcast media organisation. So if you are going to lock down one, two, three hours of airtime, of course you would pay.”
He added that despite the controversy, the station would continue asking questions in the public interest.
“We will ensure to ask the right questions, which is what we did yesterday,” he said.
“Stay on those questions because we will not allow any form of deflection.
“We will ensure that we guard the trust we have built for over 30 years as a media organisation built on credibility, journalism and balance.”
On Wike’s comments about land allegedly allocated to journalists, Okikiolu said the FCT minister should provide more details.
“It’s important for the FCT minister to come out fully — what exactly is the land for, who got the land, and the fees to be paid should be paid,” he added.
