Segun Babatunde in Bauchi
Working journalists in Bauchi state under the aegis of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists on Monday resolved to henceforth boycott coverage of all activities of the office of the state deputy governor Baba Tela over an action they felt was humiliating to them.
The decision followed an incident that happened at the office of the deputy governor where he asked members of the press who were in his office on invitation to cover a meeting that they should go out as they were not needed there.
The reporters therefore felt spurned by the way Tela spoke to them after waiting for him for minutes to take report of the meeting they were officially invited.
Secretary of the correspondents’ chapel Mr Samuel Luka in a press release issued said the decision was taken in an emergency congress meeting held at the chapel’s secretariat after the incident.
According to him, the members observed that the action where the deputy governor disparaged journalists at the venue of the assignment in the presence of some stakeholders was unpleasant.
“The chapel wishes to express dismay that the action of the deputy governor is uncalled for and is capable of jeopardizing the working relationship between them and the office of the deputy governor”. The statement reads in parts. END