Senate Bars Media From Covering Budget Defence

The Nigerian Senate has announced that its barring the media from covering the budget defence.

It says the media are not needed in the process.

This was disclosed by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Dayo Adeyeye in Abuja on Thursday.

This followed the barring of the media from covering of the budget defence by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) by the different Senatorial committees.

Senator Adeyey said sensitive issues cannot be discussed in the presence of journalists.

“The budget defence will not be done in the direct presence of the media. It will constitute a distraction when sensitive issues are being discussed. Serious issues cannot be discussed openly like that. Like the nitty gritty of the budget cannot be discussed in the open.

“When President Buhari was preparing the budget, the media was not involved. It was after the budget was ready that he read it at the joint session of the National Assembly. So, it is when the budget defence is concluded that the media can be briefed on the account.

“The chairmen and members of the various committees can brief the media after deliberations and the media would be told what was discussed. The budget defence should not be done in the full glare of the media. No. I don’t think so. This is like playing to the gallery,” he said.

Senator Sandy Onuh, a member of the Senate Committee on Media and Publicity also corroborated the Senate Spokesman’s stance.

“In governance, there is the secrecy oath. If there is no secrecy, why is that law there, it ought to have been abrogated. There is need for you to do your job without any distraction.”

Senator Adeyeye, however said it is not a reversal of the stance of the 9th Senate but a means to prevent distractions.