Journalists were on Friday walked out from the Senate Committee hearing room where they had assembled for the proceedings of the Committee on Special Duties.
The event was the budget defence session by the North East Development Commission and the National Commission For Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, who appeared before the Committee.
Clerk to the Senate Committee, Kabir Yaba Umar, had created a scene when he ordered journalists out of the budget defence session.
He said he was acting on the directive of the Chairman of the Committee on Special Duties, Yusuf Yusuf.
Journalists from various media organisations got to the venue on schedule following an earlier invitation.
There was an altercation between Umar and the journalists as they insisted that they were on legitimate duty.
The Clerk of the Committee maintained that journalists must leave the venue, while Yusuf and members of the panel observed the drama with indifference to the humiliation of the newsmen.
According to Umar, the chairman directed him to admit only the crew of the Nigerian Television Authority and the broadcasting unit of the National Assembly.
When asked if he could be quoted on his claims, which is in contradiction of the directive of the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, who had said all budget sessions are open to public observation, he responded in the affirmative.
He said: “Go ahead, I don’t care what you write.
“I have already told your colleagues who had been here before you that you guys are not wanted here.
“I have the directive of the Chairman to do what I’m doing.”
Nigerian Tribune.
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