Hours after Minister of Works David Umahi abruptly walked out on journalists invited to cover a press briefing in his office, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) expressed strong disapproval of the incident. The NUJ stated yesterday that it was “appalled” by the minister’s actions.
This incident follows a recent confrontation between Umahi and an Arise News reporter who had requested an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the contentious Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project.
In Abuja, journalists had gathered at the minister’s Mabushi office for a scheduled press conference. Despite receiving an invitation, the reporters were left waiting for nearly an hour before Umahi entered the ministry’s conference room. Without offering any explanation, he declared that the press was non-existent and exited the room.
No reasons were provided by the minister for his abrupt departure after inviting the journalists. Earlier, Umahi had faced criticism for his interaction with Laila Johnson-Salami, an Arise News correspondent, during a stakeholder meeting about compensation for the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project. When Johnson-Salami inquired about the project’s compliance with EIA requirements, Umahi dismissed her question, mocking her accent and suggesting he could not understand her.
At the Tuesday event, scheduled for 2 PM, Umahi arrived nearly an hour late at 2:50 PM. After reciting the national anthem and pledge, he abruptly ended the meeting, stating, “There is no press here. The press conference is not held again. When the press is ready.” He instructed the permanent secretary and other directors to accompany him to his office, reiterating, “The press is non-existent.”
This move angered the over 40 journalists present, but Umahi, along with his directors, left the conference hall without providing further explanations or an apology.
