Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ebonyi State chapel, on Friday, accused the Commissioner of Information in the state of misrepresenting facts in a meeting he held with members of the chapel on Thursday in his office.
It was gathered that the meeting convened at the instance of the commissioner was to resolve conflict arising from ‘life ban’ on the Sun and Vanguard correspondents in the state, Chijioke Agwu and Peter Okutu respectively.
The chapel in a statement signed by its Secretary, Mr Sampson Nwafor, noted that the commissioner misrepresented the chapel on its position in a statement he issued on the outcome of the meeting.
They described as false the claim by the commissioner that his statement was issued at a joint press conference with the chapel.
The statement noted that there was no joint press briefing where the chairman of the chapel, Jacob Ogodo, “eulogised” the governor for banning two of its members.
The statement read, “That the meeting was held at the instance of the commissioner to appease members of the chapel.
“That there was never a joint press briefing at the end of the meeting between the Correspondents’ Chapel and the commissioner.
“That the purported joint press briefing where our Chairman, Mr Jacob Ogodo, was quoted to have eulogised the governor for arresting our members was a ruse and a calculated attempt to smear the image of the chapel, its leadership and confuse the general public.”
It added, “We commend the national leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists; Nigerian Guild of Editors, Nigeria Bar Association, International Press Council, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Projects. We also applaud the Civil Liberty Organisation and the host of others for standing by journalists in Ebonyi in this trying moment.”
