The foundation housing the Imo State House of Assembly was a bit jolted on Tuesday as newspaper publishers based in Imo State stormed the complex to show solidarity to one of their colleagues.
It would be recalled that a front page news item carried by Big Truth, an Owerri based tabloid, published by Mr Modestus Nwankpa early last week came up with an allegation against the speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Chiji Collins.
The newspaper accused the speaker of having discrepancies in his academic record which suggest that there could be forgery.
Moment after the publication hit the newsstands, the state legislature was alerted and subsequently issued a summon for the publisher of the Big Truth, Mr Nwankpa to appear before it on Tuesday.
Alarmed at the summon which many media professionals view as uncalled for and an attempt by the state lawmakers to interfere with the freedom of press, co publishers of Owerri based print media and electronic outfits stormed the assembly complex in solidarity with Nwankpa.
The publishers made up of Lambert Ojukwu (Newspoint), Bright Chimezie Njoku (Horn), Precious Nwadike (Watchdog) and others including Kelechi Mejuobi of Trumpeta was at the complex at 10.am, the appointed time stated in the invitation.
After waiting for over one hour at the Clerk’s office without any words from the lawmakers, only the Deputy Speaker managed to walk in to address the publishers after a threat was issued for a walk out.
Despite assurances from the Deputy Speaker, Rt Hon Okey Onyekanma, another round of “waiting game” was experienced at what look like a dungeon called “Speaker’s Conference Room”.
The unkempt room was more of a death trap to the publishers who were scared by the shanty-looking environment and caving POP. Apparently suspecting foul play and time wasting tactics displayed by the House of Assembly members who refused to give the publishers attention after a two hours wait. It was after the threat to walk out that Nwankpa was asked to meet the other members at the Executive session inside the Speakers office.
Details of what transpired inside was not made public, but Trumpeta learnt that the presence of the Publishers and other journalists present intimidated the lawmakers who softened on their earlier wish. Instead of the planned grill they had wanted to subject the Big Truth publisher into, ironically, the lawmaker succumbed to pressure and merely raised an adhoc committee to meet with the newspaper owners over the matter.
The publishers had on arrival informed assembly staffers that it was wrong for the House to summon a journalist over a report and attempt to demand the source instead of embarking on their independent investigation. The journalists present described it as an attempt to gag the press in Imo.
