Favour Percy-Idubor, Benin
Journalists drawn from electronic, print and online mediums in their large numbers were yesterday stopped from gaining access to the Edo State governorship election collation centre, located at the premises of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Aduwawa, Benin.
These Journalists came from different parts of the country, and were duly accredited by INEC to cover the governorship election in the State. Some of these Journalists in the course of their duties, passed the night at the collation centre, with the hope that some of the results would be announced.
The situation degenerated that some of the angry journalists engaged the police officers in exchange of words, demanding their rights. One of the Journalists, who wouldn’t want to be mentioned, expressed displeasure over the incident.
She said, “This is very disheartening. Journalists are not respected by security operatives. Imagine you will show an officer your identity card, and your accreditation card from INEC, yet they will still be treating you like trash.
“I personally slept here yesterday, having left my house as early as 5:30 am, to monitor the governorship election. I left the collation centre at about 6:30 am, after we were told by INEC that announcement of results would commence by 11:am.
Getting here by 9:52am, I was denied entrance. This is not the assurance we got from the police, prior to the election.
The journalists drenched from the rain while they waited hoping that situation the change.
