9th Assembly: Management Bars Journalists From Covering Inauguration

Sade AdewaleJune 7, 2019

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Despite the withdrawal of the draconian guidelines for the accreditation of journalists, the National Assembly Management has again moved to bar over 150 accredited journalists from covering the inauguration of the 9th national assembly on Tuesday, June 11.

The decision which is coming barely three weeks after the management of the national assembly suspended the move to issue fresh guidelines to the journalists covering the parliament.

The new move was discovered on Thursday following the instruction by the management that only 10 reporters would be allowed to cover the inauguration as far as print media is concerned, just as few of television and radio reporters were selected for the event.

Out of over 15 photojournalists covering the two chambers, only one was accredited to cover the event, making the list of a very few names selected out of the 160 registered journalists who are members of the House and Senate Press Corps.

List of journalists shortlisted to cover 9th Assembly inauguration
Since 1999 accredited journalists covering the legislature have been allowed to occupy the press gallery to cover the proceedings while other reporters monitored the proceedings via live telecast from the screen mounted at the press centre.

But the provisions were not allowed with this restriction as those that were not included in the list will not be allowed to have access to the National Assembly.

The implication of the latest arrangement is that some media houses would be locked out of the complex until the entire proceedings are concluded on Tuesday.