Management of the National Assembly has again moved to bar journalists from covering the inauguration of the 9th National Assembly, Igbere TV reports.
Igbere TV had reported that the inauguration is billed to hold on Tuesday, June 11, in Abuja.
The inauguration will also avail the Lawmakers-elect the opportunity to elect new leadership of both — Upper and Lower Legislative — Chamber.
The decision to restrict media coverage is coming barely three weeks after the NASS management introduced a fresh guidelines to journalists covering the parliament.
Igbere TV had reported that the NASS management withdrew the draconian guidelines following public outcry and strong resistance from prominent media bodies.
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.
A memo sighted by our National Assembly correspondent showed that out of over 15 photojournalists covering the two chambers, only one was accredited to cover the event.
Before now, 160 registered journalists, who are members of the House and Senate Press Corps, are allowed to cover the National Assembly proceedings.
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.
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.
A member of the Management team, who did not want his name in print for fear of being sanctioned, confirmed the development.
He said that the NASS management had decided to keep it on “the low”, due to the criticisms that greeted the last move.
He, however, maintained that the new guideline is strictly for the purpose of the inauguration of the 9th Assembly, adding that “the guidelines will be discontinued after June 11.”
