A senior correspondent with The SUN Newspaper, Mr Ndubuisi Orji, was attacked on Monday by Emmanuel Okoronkwo, an aide of the ousted national Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu.
The attack occurred in the afternoon at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, popularly called Wadata, shortly after the correspondent was denied entry into the premises, his official beat.
Narrating his ordeal to LEADERSHIP, Orji said he had barely arrived at the party premises when the security told him that there was an instruction that no one should gain entrance into the secretariat because of the holidays.
He added that his inquiry into the sudden refusal to allow journalists into the premises was met with hostility by the former secretary aide, even though the new national secretary, Sunday Ude-Okoye, had briefed newsmen at the premises barely two weeks ago.
Recall that the Appeal Court had sacked Anyanwu as national secretary and ordered Ude-Okoye to assume the position.
However, Orji noted that as he approached his vehicle, parked outside the secretariat, the former secretary’s aide attacked physically and damaged his phone.
Reacting, the PDP Press Corps condemned the assault on Orji, Okoronkwo, who they said is a “PDP staff member attached to the office of the ousted National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu.”
In a statement, Samuel Ogidan, Chairman of PDP Press Corps, said the attack is a grave violation of press freedom and a direct assault on journalists’ rights.
“As essential members of a functional democracy, journalists owe the society an obligation to carry out their duties without fear of violence or intimidation.
“This incident is not only a breach of Mr Orji’s fundamental human rights but also undermines the core principles of free speech and media independence, a virtue to which the PDP lays claim.
“Eye witness accounts indicate that Okoronko attacked Mr. Orji after first, physically preventing him from gaining access to the National Secretariat.
“As Orji made for his vehicle parked outside the vicinity of the secretariat, Okoronkwo pounced on him with a series of slaps heralding other forms of physical assault until private security guards attached to the secretariat rescued him. His mobile telephone was damaged during the attack.
“In a fit of rage, Anyanwu’s aide threatened to “deal with” Mr Orji, boasting that nothing would happen because he was acting on the instructions of his principal, who gave specific instructions that journalists should be barred from entering the building by any means possible including the use of physical force.
“This suggests that the assault may have been sanctioned by the former National Secretary, raising serious concerns about the party’s position on press freedom.
“We are, to say the least, alarmed when we reached out to Senator Anyanwu, who confirmed that he gave instructions restricting movement into the Secretariat “because the party is on a break”.
“This, to say the least, confirms our fears of the clear and present danger to our democratically guaranteed rights to keep Nigerians well informed about happenings around them.
“The right to information and the freedom to report is fundamental to ensuring transparency, accountability, and good governance in any democracy.
“This is even more so that the party has been embroiled in a leadership tussle with a court order confirming Anyanwu’s removal from office.
“The PDP Press Corps is deeply alarmed by the use of physical force against any human being, not just a journalist.
“The media plays a crucial role in holding leaders accountable and fostering public debate.
“Any action that hinders these rights, particularly by individuals within a political party, poses a dangerous threat to democratic processes.
“While political differences are natural in any human organisation, journalists should not become victims of abuse of power by office holders.
“As a first step, the assault on our member has been reported to the Wuse Division of the Nigeria Police Force.
“We also demand that the person or persons involved in this clear violation of Mr Orji’s rights be brought to book to show evidence that violence has no place in Nigeria we are striving to build. We implore the PDP to take a firm stance against such actions.
“In conclusion, the PDP Press Corps calls on the party leadership to address this serious incident, clarify the facts, and take drastic action against Okoronkwo to serve as a deterrent to others,” Ogidan said.
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