Nigerian “Channels” TV shut over presidential ‘resignation’

It seems that the rumor published by AFP (Agence France Presse), quoting NAN (News Agency of Nigeria), mirrored by Channels TV, that President Yar’Adua plans to resign after changing his cabinet weekend, is false.

The axe has fallen.  The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has revoked the operating license of Channels TV and the station is off the air.  The State Security Service (SSS) has arrested principal officials and the station is under lock and key.

Here we are “back to where we were before”.  No difference it seems being under a supposed democracy.  Back to the days of the Khaki boys before whom we all tremble.

Anyhow, I see the rush to closures and arrests more as a confirmation that resignation was indeed in the air.  It was already rumored more than two weeks ago, when the president returned from his medical hajj, but reports were that he was dissuaded from resigning by his northern brothers who were afraid that the north did not yet have a backup plan.

I rather think that Channels was closed down by the president’s boys in order to force the president’s hand.  Now that the NBC has publicly intervened to close down a TV station, the president (who I believe would like to resign) cannot now turn back and say, “Oh, my boys were wrong, Channels was right.  I was going to resign”.  The poor sick man will now be forced to stay on in power…