A palpable commotion erupted on Wednesday at the Secretariat of the Independent National Electoral Commission /INEC Secretariat Abakaliki Ebonyi State when Journalists were shut out from coverage of the Commission's scheduled meetings.
Indications revealed that the Commission
The problem started around 11.15 am when Correspondents covering various Media Organizations in the State gathered at the Conference Hall of the INEC Office located along Town Planning Way for a briefing billed to by the State Resident Electoral Commission /REC.
The State INEC Administrative Secretary Mr. Clement Oha summoned the Journalists to his office and blatantly told them to their chagrin that the scheduled briefing was not for massive coverage.
According to him, *the Commission does not need the massive coverage of its activities, we don't need this whole press,
It would be recalled that the Ebonyi State House of Assembly during its plenary on Tuesday directed the Commission to conduct bye-election in Constituencies whose Lawmakers Seat was declared vacant.
Addressing members of the Correspondent Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ebonyi State Council, the Vice Chairman of the Chapel, Comrade Uchenna Inya expressed dismay over the action of the Commission.
Comrade Inya said that the Commission cannot work effectively without the partnership of journalists in the State and called on the Chairman of the Commission, Prof Mahmud Yakubu to call the Resident Electoral Commission, Ebonyi State to order.
He stated that should the commission continue with such unprofessional disposition, Correspondents Chapel will not hesitate to henceforth boycott all INEC programs and activities in the State.
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