Ajimobi bars journalists from Oyo Secretariat

•  Permits favourite media houses

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State Tuesday gave a stern directive ‎barring some journalists from entering the Press Centre of the Governor’s office, at the Agodi Secretariat, Ibadan.

However, among the favoured media organisations exempted from the ban were those from the Oyo State Broadcasting Corporation (BCOS), Ministry of Information, NTA, Galaxy, Channels, TVC, FRCN, Amuludun, Splash, Nigerian Tribune and Odua News. The list also included a driver attached to one of the vehicles in the governor’s office.

The development was precipitated by an incident, which took place about two weeks in Abuja when Ajimobi reportedly ignored some journalists who asked him questions about his inability to pay workers of the state.

Just some months ago, journalists were not allowed to drive their vehicles into the premises of the secretariat contrary to what obtained before.

When journalists got to the Press Centre for coverage of events Tuesday, a notice entitled: ‘Accredited and Un accredited’ had been pasted on the door. It was marked SEC 513/T/151 and dated July 27, 2015, signed by one Mr. Segun Abolarinwa.

Described himself as the Special Adviser on Security to the governor, even though the governor was as at yesterday, yet to form his cabinet, Abolarinwa  named in the list the unaccredited media houses to include: OGTV, AIT, Parrot, Daily Times, New Telegraph and many others. Newspapers like the Punch, Vanguard, Daily Sun, Daily Independent, Nation were also nowhere to be found on the list.

Before the issuance of the list, journalists not from the BCOS had a hectic time with the security men at the entrance of the governor’s office. Despite presenting their identity cards on demand, the security men still insisted they were not given orders by the governor to grant other journalists access.

Reacting on behalf of the governor, Mr. Olawale Sadare, the State Publicity Secretary of All Progressives Congress (APC), said the action would only affect those who “hibernate’ and those who do not have specific media houses”.