The Clerk to the National Assembly, Alhaji Sani Omolori and the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki have dissociated themselves from the new guidelines which imposed draconian conditions on journalists seeking to cover the activities of the Ninth Assembly.
The NASS Director of Information and Publication, Mr Rawlings Agada had on Monday revoked the accreditation of Media organizations covering the activities of the both Chambers and came up with stringent guidelines for fresh accreditations, sparking off controversies.
It was gathered that Omolori who held a meeting with the leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives Press Corps yesterday apologized for the embarrassment caused by the unapproved memo and ordered its immediate suspended indefinitely.
Saraki through his Special Assistant on New Media, Olu Onemola also denied knowledge of the draconian regulation and ordered an investigation into the embarrassing memo. Saraki said he remains committed to the freedom of the press.
The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) had criticised the new NASS guidelines, accusing the eighth National Assembly of attempting to put the press in chains. Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) had also urged the leadership and management of the National Assembly to immediately withdraw the repressive media accreditation guidelines or face legal action.
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