By Osahon Osahon
Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Saturday barred journalists from covering the State Congress of the party.
Operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS), who manned the gate of the University of Benin sport complex-venue of the congress, said selected journalists were accredited and invited for the event.
Journalists who showed their respective office identity cards were turned back by the officials who said that they were acting on instruction.
An official of the party who refused to disclose his identity, said only five pring and four electronic media organizations were accredited and invited for the event.
“You can’t entered the venue, we don’t need office identity card. If you want to enter the venue, you have to show your accreditation card. Sorry, it is not our fault, we are acting under instruction, call the officials,” an official of DSS said.
When approached, one of the party officials told the journalists that there is nothing he can do since he is not part of the publicity committee.
“I don’t know the criteria for selecting the media organisations for the coverage but all I know is that five prints and four electronics were accredited for the event,” he said.
Meanwhile, a delegate from Etsako West Local Government Area, Make Afaliokhai said, the congress election went peacefully.
He said the state executive swere elected through affirmation by all the deligates.
He said Francis Inegbeneki who was contesting the chairmanship position step down during the election to pave way for the Col. David Imuse (rtd), who was elected state chairman of the party.
Lawrence Okah was however elected as the party secretary among others.
