Akwa Ibom State Government has barred journalists from covering the swearing in of new members of the State Executive Council, and the inauguration of the newly elected executives of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The government on Monday barred journalists from attending activities at the Government House, Uyo, over the fear of the spread of COVID-19.
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Attempts by journalists to attend the events slated for 12 noon and 3pm on Monday were rebuffed.
The Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has expressed dismay at the development, describing it as hypocrisy for government to allow party loyalists, well wishers and members of interest groups to attend the two events but exempt journalists from performing their duties.
The Chairman of Correspondents Chapel, Comrade Idongesit Ashameri of Daily Independent Newspapers, said stopping correspondents of national media and other journalists from covering activities at the Government House was stigmatization and a slight on the watchdog role of the media in the country.
Ashameri stated that journalists were victims as they were exposed and infected with COVID-19 through politicians and government officials while carrying out their duties in the government house.
“As those who midwifed the democracy we are all enjoying today, we know that the media as the fourth estate of the realm has been at the fore-front of projecting government activities.
“When COVID-19 started in Nigeria, the media was at the fore-front of the battle.
“And incidentally we noticed that COVID-19 first started attacking the high and mighty in the world, especially prominent government officials and Nigerians and because the media practitioners worked closely with these prominent Nigerians, we were not spared from the hazard.
“At the end of the day a lot of us were exposed to the risk. In Akwa Ibom State Govermment House, about 16 members of the Press Corps were affected by COVID-19.
“And after the incident, I heard about stigmatization against the media by the state government, but I never knew that journalists in the state will sustain a permanent scar over something some of them contracted while working with the primary victims.
“I got the shock of my life today when I discovered that two prominent events in the State, the swearing in of the 8 new members of the State Executive Council and swearing in of the new State Exco of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), that no member of the Correspondents’ Chapel was invited to cover that event.
“When I probed further, I was told that it is because media men have contracted the virus. Who should we really blame? This is a global pandemic ravaging the world and the media are members of the society.
“The leadership of Correspondents’ Chapel, Akwa Ibom State chapter unanimously condemn this development, this act of stigmatization.
“We knew we were taking risks but we felt obligated to our duties to our various organisations. And if this act of stigmatization continues we will be left with no other option than to boycott state government activities,” She said.
When the Commissioner for information, Mr. Charles Udoh, was contacted on the matter through a phone, he said, “I can’t speak right now”.
He also did not respond to the text message sent to him as of the time of filing this report.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Ekerete Udoh, did not also pick his phone calls as of the time of filing this report.
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