Elections 2015: How Far Will Documentaries Go?
As the 2015 general elections draw closer, one major tool the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has continually used to enhance its chances in the forthcoming polls is the use of documentaries to disparage key figures in the All Progressives Congress (APC), its major challenger in the elections.
Nigerians' attention was drawn to a documentary that was aired on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and the African Independent Television (AIT) weeks ago, about the presidential candidate of the APC, Gen Muhammadu Buhari (rtd).
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The documentary which was titled "The Real Buhari" was the talk of the town for a while as the documentary brought to light some of the past deeds of Buhari as a military president. Although there were accusations and counter-accusations by the opposing parties on the authenticity of the information aired in the documentary, the film no doubt had an effect on Buhari's chances in the March 28 poll.
Buhari through his lawyers asked both stations to stop airing the documentary or risk facing them in court. After a brief delay on their part, the stations decided to stop airing the content and now just show edited clips of the film.
Enter Tinubu
Not done, the PDP channeled its focus on Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The former governor of Lagos, popularly called 'Jagaban Borgu' was practically floored in a documentary titled 'The Lion of Bourdillon'. In the documentary, the ruling party just fell short of calling Tinubu a thief. They went ahead to describe him as "Nigeria's Biggest Landlord".
Although the PDP has not formally associated itself with the faceless producers of the films, discerning minds know that the ruling party is behind the documentaries as they are being aired by stations that are unrepentantly pro-PDP.
Whether these documentaries will have an effect on the voting pattern of Nigerians is not known yet. But they will no doubt go a long way towards entrenching a new pattern in Nigeria's political firmament.
READ ALSO: Why We Aired ‘The Lion Of Bourdillon Documentary’ – NTA, AIT
Meanwhile, the spokesman for the Peoples Democratic Party presidential campaign organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has challenged Buhari to account for his role in the January 29, 1969 coup d ‘etat, during which about 300 Igbo people were slaughtered.
Source: Legit.ng
