The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, at resumed Plenary on Tuesday approved his television station, ADBN, which is new, to cover live plenary of the red chamber alongside six others......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
In all, Akpabio, who brushed aside negotiations with the Senate press corp, approved only seven media statuses for live coverage of the plenary.
Consequently, the National Assembly Sergeant-At-Arms barred the r Television stations in the country from having access to the Chamber starting from Tuesday, today.
A Sergeant-At-Arm operative who was stationed at the entrance of the Chamber told journalists that, “The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio instructed the security unit to restrict and prune down the number of media houses covering proceedings.” he stated.
THE WHISTLER also observed that a document which was signed by the Clerk of the Senate, Chinedu Akubueze pasted at the entrance to the hallowed chamber listed only seven media houses that would cover proceedings.
Those accredited include the Nigeria Television Authority, NTA, Channels, African Independent Television, AIT, Television Continental, TVC, Arise News, and ADBN.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the Press Corps had, on Wednesday last week, met with the Clerk of the Senate to harmonise issues relating to covering its proceedings in the chamber.
Journalists who report the National Assembly have now expressed shock at the action of the Senate, which proceeded to bar some TV stations from covering its plenary sessions while dialogue on the matter was still ongoing.