Anxious journalists who attempted to cover a meeting of the Catholic Men Organisation (CMO) hosted by the deputy governor of Edo state, Philip Shaibu on Thursday were walked out by his media aide, Musa Ebomhiana.
The embattled deputy governor had used the occasion to tender apology to his principal, Governor Godwin Obaseki over the protracted face-off between them that has almost consumed him.
The journalists were however disappointed when Ebomhiana told them that only four journalists were invited to the occasion and walked them out in the presence of members of the CMO.
“If my boss comes to see you journalists here, he will be angry with me. If you are not called, please leave, I didn’t call you,” he said.
Pleas by a former secretary of the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Titus Akhigbe to Musa were not heeded.
Also, entreaties made by the Chief of Staff to the Deputy Governor, Kingsley Ehigiamusor, to call the journalists back were ignored by Musa.
It is on record that this is not the first time that Musa Ebomhiana has deprived journalists of covering important assignments.
He had stopped journalists from covering sporting assignments coordinated by the office of the Deputy Governor.
Many are of the opinion that Ebomhiana’s conduct will not help the cause of the embattled deputy governor who is seeking the face of his principal for forgiveness.
Besides, his conduct is rather ironic, because Philip Shaibu has over the years made it a ritual to host all journalists in Edo state and Abuja at separate breakfast meetings every December 20.
The Deputy Governor has always related how media reports saved him from imminent death when he was incarcerated at the notorious Gasua prison in Zamfara State, for mobilizing the Nigerian students against the dictatorial and obnoxious regime of Gen. Sani Abaca in a nationwide movement tagged ‘Abacha Must Go
credit: PM News
