• Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Education
  • Health
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
  • Login
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
Elanza News
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Education
  • Health
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Education
  • Health
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
No Result
View All Result
Elanza News
Home News

National Assembly Fails To Provide Journalists with ID Cards After 10 Years

Ojimaojo Abubakar by Ojimaojo Abubakar
May 20, 2024
in News, National
0
Akpabio: A ‘Prophet’ Honoured At Home

Akpabio: A ‘Prophet’ Honoured At Home

0
SHARES
6
VIEWS
FacebookTwitterWhatsappEmailTelegram

The National Assembly (NASS) has been unable to print Identity Cards (ID) for journalists covering the parliament, according to LEADERSHIP reports.

The last ID cards were issued during the tenure of Senator David Mark as Senate President and Salisu Maikasuwa as the clerk to the National Assembly.

RelatedPosts

Senate to Investigate Rising Ponzi Schemes in Nigeria

Gov Uba Sani Announces 40% Tuition Reduction, Unveils Education Model to Address Out-of-School Crisis

Food security: CSJ caution FG over importation of Belarus tractors despite local innovation

During the leadership of Sen Abubakar Bukola Saraki as Senate President (2015-2019) and Mohammed Sani-Omolori as clerk to the national assembly, journalists were asked to undergo a capturing process after their ID cards expired, following the necessary documents and screening.

“Only a few journalists were captured, while others either used their expired ID cards or papers signed by the Sergeant-at-Arms and the director of information to gain access to the national assembly,” a journalist familiar with the coverage of the national assembly said.

Many journalists faced harassment from some members of the Sergeant-at-Arms, who often demanded money before allowing entrance due to expired ID cards or outdated papers.

When Senate President Ahmad Lawan assumed the Chairmanship of the National Assembly in 2019-2023, accompanied by Olatunde Ojo as the clerk to the national assembly, journalists and media houses covering the National Assembly were required to undergo a fresh accreditation process.

This process included providing a certificate of incorporation and a copy of the organization’s income tax return for the last two years.

Furthermore, newspaper houses were required to demonstrate evidence of circulating at least 40,000 copies daily.

ALSO READ:  Senate Threatens Sanctions In Federal Character Employment Probe

Other requirements included proof of incorporation, membership in professional bodies, a code of certification from the National Library, and proof of membership in the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) with a registration number, despite conflicting with the constitutional provision of the right of association.

Despite the stringent accreditation requirements, media houses and journalists submitted the necessary documents to the information department of the National Assembly. However, no printed ID cards were given, only papers signed by the Sergeant-at-Arms and the director of information with a lifespan of either six or nine months.

Under the leadership of Senate President Godswill Akpabio as the Chairman of the national assembly and Magaji Tambawal as the clerk to the National Assembly, journalists were called for a fresh accreditation process.

However, no ID cards were issued, only papers signed by the Sergeant-at-Arms and the Director of information were given to some journalists.

Even though some journalists passed the accreditation process and had their files cleared at the director of information office, they have not yet received the necessary papers for access to the national assembly complex.

A journalist who has covered the national assembly for over 15 years expressed frustration, stating, “That’s what we’ve been facing. Year-in-year-out we keep supplying data at the information department for fresh accreditation, but only papers are given to us. Other people, including national assembly staff, lawmakers, legislative aides, and commercial center workers, always receive ID cards while journalists are left at the mercy of overzealous Sergeant-at-Arms at the gate. The national assembly management needs to provide printed identity cards to journalists who have provided every document for accreditation and have had a file opened for them. They should be called for capturing and not given papers that can easily get lost or damaged.”

ALSO READ:  Foreign Capital Inflows to Nigeria Surge to $2.06 Billion in January 2025

While the national assembly bureaucracy has not provided a reason for the delay in issuing ID cards to journalists after 10 years, concerns have been raised regarding the utilization of funds allocated for ID cards for workers fulfilling their legitimate duties in the national assembly.

Birma Shuaibu Maina, the Secretary of Human Resources and Staff Development at the National Assembly, has urged all staff to display their ID cards for easy identification.

Maina, writing on behalf of the Clerk to the National Assembly, Magaji Tambawal, stated that all staff members should always display their ID cards following an incident involving Dr. John Nnnaji – Clerk, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Upstream), Comrade M. C. Odo, and some DSS Personnel at the National Assembly Complex on Friday, 17th May, 2024.

Maina emphasized that the top management of the National Assembly is aware of the incident and has taken steps to address it.

He stated, “The Clerk to the National Assembly and the Top Management Team visited Comrade Odo at the National Assembly Clinic and immediately called for an emergency meeting between the Management, Security Personnel, and PASAN officials. During this meeting, the unfortunate incident was discussed and unanimously resolved. The resolutions included working in harmony with the Sergeant-At-Arms, ensuring civil behaviour by all security operatives within the National Assembly Complex, and requiring all staff members to display their ID cards for easy identification.”

Maina appealed to staff members to remain calm, peaceful, and law-abiding, assuring them that the situation is under control following the incident involving the brutalization of some National Assembly staff who were unable to show their ID cards to security agents last Friday.

ALSO READ:  5 policemen dead, 11 officers injured in Kano ghastly accident
Ojimaojo Abubakar

Ojimaojo Abubakar

Abubakar Ojimaojo is a graduate of Mass Communication, political and football analyst currently work at elanzanews.ng as Editor. He pride himself as skilled wordsmith with a passion for delving into contemporary political issues on both national and international scale.

Related Posts

Akpabio assures of speedy transmission of 2025 budget for Tinubu’s assent

Senate to Investigate Rising Ponzi Schemes in Nigeria

by Nathaniel Irobi
July 9, 2025
0

In a decisive move, the Nigerian Senate has mandated an investigation into Ponzi schemes and online payment platforms that defraud...

Kaduna State to hold education summit – Commissioner

Gov Uba Sani Announces 40% Tuition Reduction, Unveils Education Model to Address Out-of-School Crisis

by Nathaniel Irobi
July 9, 2025
0

Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has announced a substantial 40% reduction in tuition fees across all state-owned tertiary institutions,...

Food security: CSJ caution FG over importation of Belarus tractors despite local innovation

Food security: CSJ caution FG over importation of Belarus tractors despite local innovation

by Ojimaojo Abubakar
July 9, 2025
0

By Abubakar Yunusa The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) has decried the Federal Government recent importation of 2,000 tractors from...

Recommended

Navigating Challenges: IMF Urges Nigeria to Prioritise Growth and Fiscal Responsibility

Navigating Challenges: IMF Urges Nigeria to Prioritise Growth and Fiscal Responsibility

2 days ago
Djokovic ‘Blessed’ to Record 100th Wimbledon Victory

Djokovic ‘Blessed’ to Record 100th Wimbledon Victory

4 days ago

Popular News

  • CDS’s Wife, Shehu Sani, Katung, Other’s To Storm Pastor Mutum’s Ordination, Book Launch

    CDS’s Wife, Shehu Sani, Katung, Other’s To Storm Pastor Mutum’s Ordination, Book Launch

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Bwari Council Chairmanship Aspirant, Dara, Dumps Labour Party Over Suspected Foul Play In Primaries

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Innoson, Ibeto, Apostle Alozie To Honour Archbishop Emma David At Golden Jubilee Celebration

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Kaduna Govt Unveils 345 Supervisory Councillors, Special Advisers Across 23 LGAs

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Bannon Tried to Use Iran Strike to Split the GOP Says Former Counselor to Jared Kushner, Eliyahu Okkon, Esq.

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Connect with us

Facebook Instagram Twitter Youtube
Elanza logo

Elanza News is your NO 1 online platform for all news update.
#SayNoToFakeNews
Contact Us

Category

  • Arts & Literature (25)
  • Business (737)
  • Education (217)
  • Entertainment (310)
  • Health (193)
  • National (2,167)
  • News (8,123)
  • Opinion (296)
  • Politics (1,620)
  • Science (15)
  • Security (405)
  • Sports (436)

Newsletter

© 2023 Elanza News - The No 1 online news platform

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Science
  • National
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Health

© 2023 Elanza News - The No 1 online news platform