journalists boycott Senate briefing amid reports of Senators with COVID-19

Some journalists covering the National Assembly, on Tuesday shunned the press briefing undertaken by the Senate Spokesman, Senator Godiya Akwashiki.

This was connected to the rumour that about 10 Senators had tested positive to the dreaded Coronavirus, known as COVID-19.

The red chamber had shut down plenary for 2 weeks, following its resolution after a closed door session which lasted for an hour on Tuesday.

Drama, however, started when the Senate Spokesman arrived at the Senate Press centre for a routine media chat and journalists started rushing out of the premises, for fear of possible spread of the virus.

Already, about 25 members of the 9th Assembly (10 Senators and 15 Reps Members), are feared infected by the virus.

About 15 Senators, including the Senate Spokesman, Akwashiki, just returned from UK, US and Canada without heeding to the convention of 14-day self-isolation.

Meanwhile, the Senate is to remain shut down till 7th April, 2020, when the affected lawmakers would have been done with the self isolation order.