#NationalConference Update: Delegates agree to leave the media alone, accept voice vote procedure

Delegates at the National Conference Tuesday, rejected proposals by the conference leadership aimed at revoking media accreditation for bodies that publish “unfair and offensive” reports.
We almost want to say hallelujah. That rule had got us worried when it was first proposed two days ago.
It all started with an argument over yes, those popular pictures on social media showing delegates sleeping.
The conference had rebuffed a complaint by the President of the Public Interest Lawyers League, Mr. Abdul Mahmud, against a national daily, which published photos of a few delegates sleeping at the plenary on Monday.
Mahmud also complained that the media misrepresented the conference when it reported that delegates requested for allowances for their aides. According to him, a request by a delegate cannot represent the general views of the delegates.
Mahmud also requested that the conference warn the media
against reporting events that could “incite the public against the delegates.”
But the spokesperson for Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin objected to the request.
In his words, “There should be no attempt to gag the media. We have not been sent here to come and sleep”.
Echoing Odumakin’s position, the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Mr. Dan Nwanyanwu, said, “We are here for serious business. Anybody that wants to sleep can walk out. The press must report what they have seen. If you want to have a nap, don’t do it here; otherwise the press will publish it.”
Classic.
In other news, the President of Women Arise, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, asked the conference to allot three minutes to each delegate to speak on issues.
The conference also had to reject another proposal which also had to do with the media. A former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Musa Elayo Abdullahi, had asked that some issues not to be discussed in the presence of the press.
The proposal was strongly opposed (quite naturally we may add) by the publisher of ThisDay Newspapers, Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, and former Chairman of the Transition Monitoring Group, Mr. Festus Okoye.
Obaigbena, who led the debate for the expulsion of Order 14 Rule 7 which threatened to withdraw media accreditation, argued that media houses should be given the opportunity to correct themselves.
Okoye said gagging the media would constitute an infraction on their constitutional role, putting it rather succinctly, “The only way we can do this is by allowing the press unfettered access.”
In bringing a finality to the debate, the Chairman of the conference, Justice Idris Kutigi amended the rule to read, “The secretariat may grant approval to the representatives of any media to attend the sitting of the conference”.
He said the proviso which sought to revoke the media accreditation be expunged.
Also, former senator, Florence Ita Giwa moved a motion for the inclusion of a voice vote in the National Conference Procedure Rules 2014 following a suggestion by a former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara.