Minister of Works, David Umahi, has denied allegations that he snubbed journalists who attended a news conference in Abuja at the ministry’s invitation.
This controversy arose when the minister was accused of walking out on journalists during his presentation of the ministry’s accomplishments after one year under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Speaking to reporters in Abakaliki, after attending events marking Governor Francis Nwifuru’s one year in office, Umahi described the allegations as untrue.
The minister clarified that his intention was to recognize and appreciate certain media houses for their exceptional coverage of his ministry’s activities.
“They all worked hard for us during President Bola Tinubu’s inauguration of projects in Lagos, and I wanted to thank them profusely,” Umahi explained. “I wanted the appreciation to be surprising to the selected media houses, but my media aide didn’t handle it properly.”
Umahi elaborated that the event was originally scheduled for 2 p.m. on May 28, but was postponed to 3 p.m. because the journalists were covering another inauguration.
“We then shifted the event to 3 p.m., though my flight to Ebonyi for the governor’s inauguration of projects was also slated for the same time,” he said. “My aide informed me that the event was set by 3:30 p.m., but when I got to the ministry’s hall, there was no single camera. The only camera on sight was from my ministry, and I became very angry with the aide.”
Umahi decided to reschedule the event to Monday, June 3, to maintain the element of surprise for the selected media houses.
“I will also be faced with a number of journalists that I couldn’t handle, so my media aide did not handle it properly. Reports of shunning journalists, therefore, do not exist because I cannot invite and shun them at the same time,” Umahi stated.
He reaffirmed his commitment to showing appreciation to the media houses he considered significant to the ministry’s work.
