‘He was on espionage,’ APC campaign explains ejection of Arise TV reporter from Tinubu’s NESG meeting

All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign council has explained the ejection of an Arise TV reporter from a symposium involving its presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG).

The APC campaign council and Arise TV have disagreed severally since last year over the latter’s coverage of issues involving the former Lagos State governor.

The council had boycotted town halls and other pre-election events packaged by the television station.

In a statement issued on Sunday by its Director of Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga, the PCC said the AriseTV cameraman was sent out for secretly filming Tinubu at the event.

He said the Arise TV cameraman covertly recorded an APC chieftain while the event was not open to the public.

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Onanuga insisted that other TV stations invited to the event did not breach the procedures for the programme.

He said: “Arise TV cameraman clandestinely streamed live Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s event in Lagos today. He was not authorized by anyone. He was clearly on espionage but was busted and sent out. Is journalism by stealth part of the practice by Arise News?

“For clarity, the Tinubu-Shettima campaign is not against Arise TV covering its events. The Lagos NESG dialogue was not meant for live TV coverage.

“It was to be recorded and shown later. Other TV houses did not breach the rule, except Arise News. And it was done by stealth. Why?”

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