The Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ebonyi State Council, has written to Senate President Godswill Akpabio over an alleged attack on journalists during the APC senatorial primary election in the state. Akahi News learnt that the petition targets Senator Kenneth Chukwuemeka Eze, who represents Ebonyi Central and chairs the Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation.
It is not a child’s play when those meant to defend public accountability turn on the press. But when will political office holders understand that silencing journalists does not silence the truth? The union says Monday’s incident at Onueke crossed a line.
What the NUJ Says Happened in Ezza South
Akahi News gathered that the alleged assault occurred on Monday, 18th May 2026, at Onueke, headquarters of Ezza South Local Government Area. The journalists accused Senator Eze of attacking the Ebonyi State NUJ Chairman, Comrade Samson Nwafor, and other media practitioners covering the primary.
In a statement signed by the Chapel Chairman, Comrade Uchenna Inya, the union described the incident as “an attack on the entire journalism profession” and a direct threat to press freedom and democratic accountability in Ebonyi. The chapel condemned what it called intimidation, harassment and physical assault against journalists carrying out constitutional duties.
The union has given Senator Eze 24 hours to publicly apologise. Failure to do so, it warned, would lead to a media blackout of the senator’s activities in the state.
Allegations of Threats and Past Conduct
Akahi News had earlier reported that tensions were high during the APC primaries across several states. In Ebonyi, the chapel alleged that one Kizito Nwankwo, said to be an aide to the senator, threatened to deal with any journalist who publishes reports on the incident.
The chapel warned that Senator Eze and his associates would be held responsible should any harm befall any journalist in the state. It also urged the Senate President to remove Eze immediately as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation.
“The Senator should live up to the expectations of his office and desist from intimidating, attacking and harassing journalists in the discharge of their professional duties,” the statement added.
The union recalled that Eze was recently involved in a heated verbal altercation with senatorial aspirant Chief Christian Asaga Nwali during a burial ceremony in Amudo, Ezza South. That incident, it said, embarrassed stakeholders and heightened political tension in the area.
Why Press Freedom Matters in the States
It was alleged that the attack was meant to deter reporting on irregularities during the primary. If true, it raises wider questions about how internal party contests are managed and how far some actors will go to control the narrative.
Journalists in the Fourth Estate of the Realm are constitutionally mandated to monitor power. When they are harassed at polling centres and party events, the public loses a key check on political conduct.
Can democracy thrive if coverage of elections and primaries depends on the goodwill of candidates? The NUJ argues that it cannot.
Calls for Accountability
The chapel’s demands are clear: a public apology within 24 hours, removal of Senator Eze from his committee chairmanship, and protection for journalists in Ebonyi. The union said it would hold the senator and his associates responsible for any harm to media workers.
For citizens, the case tests whether the Senate will act on misconduct by its own members. For young journalists entering the profession, it is a reminder that reporting in politically charged environments carries real risk.
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The Ebonyi NUJ petition puts pressure on the Senate leadership to define the limits of conduct for public office holders. An apology and disciplinary action would signal that press freedom carries weight in Nigeria’s political system.
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Silence or inaction, on the other hand, would embolden further attacks on journalists. Follow Akahi News for updates on press freedom, politics and governance in Nigeria.