Bayelsa House of Assembly sits in camera, shuts out journalists

The Bayelsa State House Assembly on Tuesday sat behind closed door as journalists were barred from coverage of proceedings in Yenagoa, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
NAN also reports that the 24-member legislature was scheduled to sit by 10.30am, but the session commenced at about 11am.
Before the sitting could commence, more than 20 reporters from different media organisations, who were awaiting coverage, were excused from the press gallery.
Alton Boleidgha, the Special Adviser on Media to Kombowei Benson, the Speaker of the House, who delivered the message to reporters, said the decision to bar journalists from coverage was from members.
Boleidgha said: “Well, I cannot ascertain what could be the matter for journalists not to cover sitting of today, but this is an order; I am telling you that we do not need any outsider for coverage.
“You have to leave the gallery because there is no need waiting to cover the sitting.
“We do not need journalists.
Reacting to the development, the aggrieved journalists expressed displeasure over the action of the lawmakers.
“I am not happy, though I do not know what they want to discuss that they don’t want us for today,” a journalist complained.
NAN.