On Wednesday, security operatives prevented several journalists from covering Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s state of the address at the Delta State House of Assembly.
The security team said they were acting under instructions from the Speaker of the House, Mr. Guwor Emomotimi.
When most journalists arrived at the Assembly complex around 9:30 a.m., they were denied entry despite presenting their official press identification.
ASP Saviour David, the officer in charge of the gate, insisted that no journalists would be allowed inside following the directive he had received.
Among those barred from entry were reporters from prominent media houses including PUNCH, Guardian, Tribune, ThisDay, Champion, New Telegraph, Leadership correspondents, Emerald Online, and others.
While some members of the public and government staff were granted access, ASP David remained firm, rejecting appeals from some officers who requested that the journalists be permitted entry.
He told a PUNCH correspondent, “The order comes from the Speaker and the authority. Even if you call anyone, no one will respond.”
Attempts to reach the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Festus Ahon, and the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Mr. Nkem Nweke, were unsuccessful as their phone lines were unreachable as of 11:30 a.m.
A senior government official who approached the gate criticized the security operatives, particularly ASP David, for barring journalists from entering the Assembly premises and the chamber.
He said, “This is an overzealous move. Journalists should have been allowed into the complex first. Whether or not they enter the chamber depends on the governor’s address timing. This order did not come from the governor.”