By Annette Ikponmwonba | October 13, 2026
Key Points
· ARISE News has suspended political analyst Anthony Kila from all its platforms over allegations that he falsified his academic credentials
· The decision followed a Premium Times investigation that questioned his professorial title and reported discrepancies in his claimed bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and professorial qualifications
· ARISE says it contacted Kila on October 3, 2026, and he asked for more time to respond but had not done so 10 days later
· The network says it will no longer feature him on any of its platforms, now or in the future
· ARISE says it was unaware of the allegations when Kila appeared on its programmes as a freelance political analyst
· The network stressed that it takes matters of credibility and integrity extremely seriously
Main Story
ARISE News has announced the immediate suspension of political analyst Anthony Kila from its platforms following allegations that he falsified his academic credentials. The television network said the decision followed an investigative report by Premium Times, which questioned Kila’s claim to a professorial title and subsequently reported discrepancies in his claimed bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and professorial qualifications.
In a statement issued by its Editorial Board on Tuesday on its official X handle, ARISE News said it contacted Kila on October 3, 2026, to seek his response to the allegations. He asked for more time to reply, but the network said he had yet to respond 10 days after the allegations were brought to his attention.
The organisation said it had taken note of the findings of the Premium Times investigation and would no longer feature Kila on any of its platforms, either immediately or in the future. “Following claims that Anthony Kila falsified his entire academic credentials, we contacted Mr Kila on 03 October, 2026 with the allegations. He asked for more time to respond to the claims. He has not responded 10 days after,” the statement read.
The Issues
The case raises serious questions about how media organisations vet the credentials of the analysts and commentators they put on air. Experts who appear on television lend their audiences a sense of authority, and a professorial title carries particular weight. If the allegations prove accurate, they would suggest that claimed qualifications can go unchecked for years, even on prominent platforms.
It also puts the spotlight on accountability. ARISE said the allegations became more serious with time, making it untenable for Kila to remain on its platforms. The network drew a clear line between its own position and the claims, noting that it was unaware of them when he appeared as a freelance analyst. That distinction matters for its credibility, but it also invites scrutiny over what checks are normally applied to freelance contributors.
Kila has not publicly answered the allegations, at least according to the network’s account, so the claims remain allegations rather than established findings. The outcome of any response from him, or any action by the institutions named in the Premium Times report, will shape how the matter is ultimately judged.
What’s Being Said
ARISE News framed its decision as a matter of protecting its integrity. “ARISE News was unaware of these allegations at the time Anthony Kila appeared on our platform and as we take matters of credibility and integrity extremely seriously,” the statement said, The network also pointed to its own efforts to hear Kila’s side, stressing that it reached out on October 3 and gave him 10 days without receiving a response. Premium Times, whose investigation triggered the decision, questioned his professorial title and reported discrepancies across all his claimed degrees, No statement from Kila was included in the report.
What’s Next
Attention will turn to whether Kila responds publicly to the Premium Times findings and the ARISE decision. Other media organisations and institutions that have featured or engaged him may also review their positions, The case may prompt wider conversation about credential verification for commentators and analysts, and whether other broadcasters will tighten their vetting processes.
Bottom Line
ARISE News has cut ties with Anthony Kila after a Premium Times investigation questioned his academic credentials and he failed to respond within 10 days, a move that underlines how seriously media houses now treat questions of credibility, even as the allegations against him remain unanswered publicly.
