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Security operatives on Wednesday stopped some journalists from covering Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s state of the address at the state House of Assembly.
They claimed that they were acting on the orders of the Speaker, Mr Guwor Emomotimi.
Most of the journalists who arrived at the House of Assembly at 9:30am were denied entry into the Assembly complex even after tendering their various identity cards.
The security officer who is in charge of the gate, ASP Saviour David, maintained that journalists will not be allowed based on the order given to him.
Some of the journalists denied entrance include PUNCH, Guardian, Tribune, ThisDay, Champion, New Telegraph, Leadership correspondents, Emerald online, and others.
While allowing some of the members of the public and the Government House crew entrance, David insisted that the journalists would not be allowed according to instructions, even when some officers appealed to him to allow journalists.
“The order is from the speaker and the authority. If you like call anybody, nobody will answer you,” he told PUNCH correspondent.
Efforts made to reach the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Festus Ahon, and CPS to the Speaker, Mr Nkem Nweke, to intervene, failed as their numbers were not reachable as of 11.30 am.
A top government official who came to the gate blamed the security agencies, especially the ASP for not allowing the journalists into the Assembly complex, let alone the chamber.
“No, no, it is overzealous action for not allowing journalists into the Assembly complex. He could have allowed you people first into the premises; then the chamber might not be necessary because the governor might have started his address. The order did not come from the governor,” he asserted.
