FG accredits over 300 foreign journalists for elections

The Federal Government has accredited over 300
foreign journalists to cover Nigeria’s general
elections scheduled for March 28 and April 11.
The Director General, National Orientation Agency,
Mr. Mike Omeri, who said this in an interview with
our correspondent, also explained that more
foreign journalists would be accredited before the
commencement of the elections.
He, however, added that accredited foreign
journalists would be expected to adhere to the
agency’s guidelines.
He said, “It’s an ongoing process and about 350
foreign journalists have been accredited already.
As they report here, we will give them the
guidelines to follow.”
Omeri said the foreign journalists are from various
countries across the world including the United
States of America, United Kingdom, France, South
Africa, Russia, Cameroon, and Democratic
Republic of Congo, among others.
He said, “We have them from all across the world;
we have a few examples like Aljazeera, CNN, BBC,
media houses from Congo, Cameroon Radio
stations and so on.”
Reacting to complaints that Nigeria had refused to
give some foreign journalists visa, Omeri said
Nigeria, as any other country in the world, has
laid down rules and regulations that guide the
issuance of visas to foreigners which are being
adhered to in granting visas to journalists.
He, however, said no foreign journalist that
qualifies for a visa will be denied the opportunity
of covering the general elections.
He said, “We do background checks in the
process of issuing visas and when some are
denied visas, we don’t have to state the reasons
why they were denied visas; and no country
interferes with the consular affairs of another
country.
“The problem is that they (foreign journalists)
wanted to submit (application) today and get
accredited tomorrow but there are procedures for
everything and we must follow them, not just
because of the political exigency.”
Dismissing insinuation that the Federal
Government may postpone the general election
which was previously slated for February 14 and
28, Omeri said government would take no such
action except if the Independent National Electoral
Commission chose to do so.
He stressed that the general elections were earlier
postponed because of security reasons among
others.