Contradictions as Gov Akeredolu, Olowolabi justify blacklisting of journalists from governor’s office

Governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has disclosed the
reason behind the blacklisting of some journalists from the governor's
office.

According to the governor who spoke via his verified Tweeter handle,
he hinted that unpaid debt to the affected media houses was the reason
for the eviction, stating that the government would not be held to
ransom.

"No war here. I've benefited from a vibrant media as NBA President, I
won't change now as Governor. All media houses can cover our
activities whenever & however they seem fit.

"We will nonetheless not be held to ransom over unpaid debt to media
houses by the previous administration," he tweeted.

Meanwhile, the claim of the governor has contradicted that of the
Commissioner for Information, Yemi Olowolabi.

In a press statement issued earlier by the commissioner who was
alleged to have masterminded the eviction of the correspondents of
Channels TV, AIT and Core TV from the governor's office last week
Friday over the stance of the reporters of not doing the bidding of
the commissioner by reporting stories favourable to the state
government, he described the affected journalists as "impostors" and
"parasites"

The statement reads, "For the record, we have not expelled any
journalist from the Governor's office. What we did was to rid the
place of impostors and parasites parading themselves as professional
journalists.

"The standard practice in Government House Press coverage is to
accredit journalists who cover the beat. And no duly accredited
Government House reporter has been barred from covering the daily
activities of the Governor.

"My office was inundated with serial complaints about professional
misconduct by some 'journalists' who turned the newsroom in the
Governor's office to beer parlour, gambling station and blackmailers'
hideout. Some of these complaints were investigated and were found out
to be true.

"In fact, I have received complaints from some important guests who
were made to pay for interviews and news items that were never used on
any channel.

"Also, most of the whimsical stories trending on the social media are
anchored on the purported sack of AIT and Channels TV's reporters from
the Government House. Again, there is a procedure that guides the
engagement and disengagement of reporters from all the broadcast
stations that are working with us. Duly signed official letters are
usually sent to the broadcast stations headquarters to convey our
intentions to their management. Our last official communication with
the stations was in April 2017.

"Another twist to this fairy tale is the reckless innuendo that we
sacked some reporters from the Government House because they were
writing negative stories. This is a preposterous account bereft of
logic and rationalisation. For instance, in the last one year, the
Channels TV's reporters here have not filed a single story on the
activities of the Governor, either positive or negative. I challenge
them to contradict this position.

"Yet the 'journalists' stay in the Governor's office from morning to
night every day. Doing what?
This was the simple question we asked. Their answer is the syndicated
blackmail designed to frustrate the sanitisation of the Government
House Press Crew which is in utter danger of vulgarisation," the
statement read.