VP Sambo, Gov. Yero Clamp Down On Liberty Radio Over Guests’ Constant Criticism Posted: September 9, 2013 - 03:55  By SaharaReporters, New York Vice President Namadi Sambo and his political god-son, Kaduna state governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, have commenced a tactical clampdown on Liberty Radio, a Kaduna-based radio station, over the constant reference by guests to the inept governments being run at the federal level and by Governor Yero. The radio station is privately owned by another top politician in Kaduna State, Alhaji Tijjani Ramalan. It often runs critical interviews and programmes in which the influence and relevance of Sambo and Yero are questioned in the intense power struggle in the state. Sambo is also often doubted in the politics of the northern region in view of the uncertainty of President Goodluck Jonathan’s 2015 bid and his place in it. A retired senior civil servant in Kaduna, who does not want to named, confirmed to SaharaReporters that Yero as part of the moves of Sambo, has instructed two agencies in Kaduna State to commence the clamp down, and that the agencies have both swung into action. According to him, “The vice president did not take Nasir el-Rufai’s recent interview and accusations against him as a failure, lightly. The same thing on a Kaduna based strong grassroot politician, Suleiman Hunkuyi who had vowed to end Sambo and Yero’s politics in 2015. Sambo descended heavily on the governor hence what we are witnessing. The governor too is under serious criticism, a trend they want stop. However, the owners of the station is not compromising, rather insisting that the government come forward and put up a defence. But unfortunately the government doesn’t have articulate and capable hands to confront the quality of its criticism.” SaharaReporters learned that as part of the clampdown, some government officials came to the station asking for its payment of taxes since 2007, although the station commenced operations only in 2011. Another trick that is being put into play in the plot to seal the station is the claim by the government that the station is situated in a residential area and could pose some environmental hazards to residents. The chairman of the station, according to another source, has now taken the matter to the court for fear that the station may be shut down and muzzled.
Posted on: Mon, 09 Sep 2013 18:21:00 +0000
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