Saraki distances self from NASS’ new  media accreditation guidelines

The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday washed his hands off the draconian guidelines meant to shut out media organisations covering the National Assembly.

National Assembly management had in a memo on Monday through its director, information, Agada Emmanuel, asked all newsmen covering the National Assembly to get fresh letters of recertification from their media organisations in line with the requirement of the new guidelines.

The guidelines which has been described as Satanic by some commentators, is meant to facilitate the earliest reaccreditation process before the commencement of the 9th Assembly.

But responding in a statement on Tuesday through his Special Assistant on New Media, Olu Onemola, Saraki distanced himself from the memo and promised to investigate it.

Onemola said in a tweet, “The attention of the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has just been drawn to a story that is circulating on social media about the National Assembly issuing new guidelines to journalists.

“These alleged guidelines have not emanated from either the Senate President or the Speaker, and will be promptly investigated.

“The public should note that the 8th National Assembly has been committed to the freedom of the press as exemplified by its work to bring governance closer to the people through live streams and live tweets.

“This is because the leadership of the 8th National Assembly believes strongly in the freedom of the press and in carrying the Nigerian public along. Hence, the Senate President and all his colleagues will continue to work to ensure that these freedoms remain unhindered.”