Ebonyi Governor David Umahi has pleaded with journalists to put behind them the recent impasse involving the correspondents of Vanguard, Mr. Peter Okutu and SUN Newspapers, Mr. Chijioke Agwu and himself.
The duo was arrested last week allegedly on the orders of the Governor and a local government Chairman in the state.
They were arrested for two separate stories they wrote with the Governor alleged were targeted at tarnishing the image of the state.
While Agwu’s report was on the Lassa outbreak in the state, Okutu’s report focused on the recent invasion of a community in Umuogodoakpu, Mgbo in Ohaukwu kocal government area.
The Governor equally banned them for life from entering the Ebonyi State Government House and other Government facilities in the State.
He issued the ban on a live broadcast lat week.
The Governor’s action attracted widespread condemnations from various groups within and outside the state.
But in a similar live broadcast on Tuesday at the New Government House, Abakaliki, the Governor stated that the development was not intentional.
“I have directed that the unfortunate incident with press was not intentional but I am asking everybody to disregard what has happened.
“Because we are all partners in progress and let us work together. But I will advise that you please cross check information.
“There are certain write-ups that people are not happy about and that is why I said please let everybody down tools in love and work together.
“I specifically asked that the SUN and Vanguard reporters be invited ,as a father when you beat a child with one hand ,you bring the child back with another hand.
“I believe strongly that if anybody wants to intentionally bring you down he can’t pull you down standing, he will certainly go down with you. And you may even rise above of him. But the single way to be happy in life is to be happy with success.
He called for media partnership geared towards the development of the State.
“I want to invite the press for partnership and also ask them to also please helps build the state .Nobody said you should do preferential reporting, nobody said you should not report the truth because our state is peculiar. Everybody has forgotten what happened let’s work together.”