Some security personnel on Saturday stopped journalists from covering the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary election in Zaria, Kaduna State.
The team of journalists who converged on the venue of the primary election were completely denied access by the security personnel.
The journalists used all persuasive means to get entry including parading their identity cards and making phone calls to some senior police officers but to no avail.
The team of security personnel headed by one Fom D. Moses, who was said to be the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Samaru Division, said he had received instructions not to allow journalists entry.
When asked whether the Nigerian Constitution prevents journalists from covering such events, he said: “I should be very careful or else, politicians will indict me, I fear politicians more than you journalists.
“If somebody said I shouldn’t allow you in, then I shouldn’t,” Moses said.
Efforts by the journalists to get the Kaduna State Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Yakubu Sabo, to intervene did not yield result, as the police officer refused to speak with him on phone.
Moses said: “I can’t pick his (PPRO) call because I am his senior by rank, I cannot receive directive from him.”
However, the PPRO pleaded with journalists to be calm and pledged to get back to them after making contact with his superiors.