Media bodies knock NASS for muzzling the press

…Nigerian Guild of Editors rejects NASS guidelines for journalists

…NUJ demands reversal of guidelines within 24 hours

Tunde Opalana, Abuja

The National Assembly has started receiving bashing over the stringent measures it introduced in the new guidelines on accreditation of journalists covering the NASS

While the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) condemned the Guidelines as anti- people, undemocratic and totally unacceptable, the Nigerian Union of Journalists demanded an immediate reversal of the Guidelines withing 24 hours.

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) in a statement by its President, Mrs Funke Egbemode rejected the new guidelines describing it as primitive, undemocratic and blatantly anti-press and anti-people.

The Guild condemned demands among other draconian provisions that a media organisation wishing to be accredited for coverage of NASS activities should submit a copy of its income tax return for the last two years.

Among the requirements are “presentation of evidence of certificate of incorporation of the media organisation, evidence of membership of professional bodies for the journalists, maintenance of a functional Bureau in Abuja (staff strength not less than 5 Editorial staff) and daily circulation of 40,000 copies for the print media with evidence to support the claimed circulation figure.”

She said “the Guild finds this vexatious, disrespectful and Draconian. It is a scurrilous attempt to gag the press in a democracy and it cannot stand.

These guidelines run contrary to the grains of reason, democratic ideals and they are a clear affront on the letter and spirit of the Nigerian constitution which empowers journalists to freely practice their profession without any gag, muzzling and restriction.

‘The NASS guidelines negate the constitutional principle of freedom of expression and run contrary to the African Charter on fundamental rights and the right of the people to know.

“The Guild strongly objects to these guidelines in their entirety as they serve no public good except the myopic interest of its chroniclers and purveyors.

” The Guild is disappointed that the same 8th National Assembly which benefited immensely from free press in its moments of trial has turned round to put the same press in shackles and chains. We reject this crude abrasion of our constitutional rights to freely disseminate information. It cannot stand”.

The Guild ,therefore urged all media houses across the nation to “rise up and reject this medieval intrusion into the media space in the 21st century, much more in a democracy which Nigerian media doggedly fought for and for which some journalists paid the supreme price”.

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on its own part called for an immediate reversal of the anti- press guidelines.

The Union gave the management of the National Assembly just 24 hours to retract the guideline or face the wrath of the Nigerian press.

The NUJ vowed to resist all forms of intimidation and teleguiding of journalists .