Journalists threaten boycott over INEC’s selection of colleagues

…INEC cites security, logistics problem

Journalists in Kano have accused the Independent Electoral Commission of selecting few of their members to cover the governorship and State Houses of Assembly results collation, and threatened to boycott the process if such was not corrected immediately.

INEC Public Relations Officer, Adam Maulud, had issued a statement with an addendum indicating few journalists as the only ones allowed to cover the result collation exercise on Sunday.

The collation of results is expected to commence at about 2:00pm.

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When contacted to give reasons for this development, Maulud said the Commission was doing so for security and logistics reasons.

He said, “Even the National and International Observers, Civil Society Networks and other vital organs, including journalists – the number of those that cover the collations was reduced because of security and logistics problems.

However, in a counter statement, the State Correspondent Chapel Chairman, Ibrahim Garba asked journalists to hold on, urging those selected not to honor the invitation.

“Members are hereby notified to stay away from the place and await official position from our leaders over the coverage of governorship result collation,” Garba said.

Garba wondered why journalists would be allowed to go through the rigours of registration for the entire coverage of the 2023 elections, only to be barred at the point of release of results.

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