National Conference Delegates Support Media Reportage
The National
Conference on Tuesday supported the media reporting of delegates who were
caught sleeping during proceedings at the plenary.
A delegate,
Mahmud Aminu, representing Civil Society Organizations, had complained about
what he termed “slanted” reportage of Conference proceedings by the media.
Mr. Aminu,
particularly, queried the reports of requests by some delegates for aides and
the publishing of “sleeping” delegates at Monday’s plenary on page six of
Tuesday’s Leadership Newspapers.
“Mr Chairman,
today on page six of Leadership Newspapers, you will see pictures of some
delegates published by the paper. I think the media should be called to order.
“Some of us
have observed slanted reports of the Conference by the media and we call on the
press to be responsible in their reports,” Mr. Aminu said.
However, his
observation was immediately rebuffed by most of the delegates, who said that the
media had the right to report the proceedings of the Conference to the public
in its whole truth.
Yinka Odumakin,
a delegate, cautioned against any attempt to gag the media in its reportage
of the Conference.
of the Conference.
“Mr Chairman,
in as much as we are trying to ensure that the media reports accurately what is
happening here, I think there should be no attempt to gag the media.
“I’ve seen the
item he’s talking about; we have not been sent here to come and sleep.
“And if the
media observe that people are sleeping, they have the duty to publish all the
people that are doing that.
“So there is
nothing to gag the media about; there is nothing assaulting the dignity of
persons; they (media) are only doing their jobs,” Mr. Odumakin said.
Similarly, Dan
Nwanyawu, the National Chairman of Labour Party, reminded the delegates that
they were at the Conference for serious business and not to sleep.
“Mr. Chairman,
we are here for serious business; anybody who has to sleep may take an excuse
and climb the isles out to take a nap.
“But once you
are here, your two eyes must be open; so if you decide to help yourself by
sleeping, nobody should come here to gag the press.
“The press must
report what they have seen and they are not lying by what is on page six of
Leadership.
“They (media)
have just said the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. So if we
are here to do business of nation building, we must be serious.
“With due
respect to our elder statesmen; honestly, I see most of them awake.
“But if you
have any reason to take a nap due to health challenges, please don’t do it here
(in plenary) because the press will get you and they have the right to publish
same.”
The submissions
of the duo attracted a thunderous applause and were overwhelmingly supported by
the delegates.
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