Some journalists fully accredited to cover the state elections and coalition of the results have been denied access to the collation centre in Kano.

The collation of results for the Kano State Governorship and House of Assembly Elections is underway at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state.

However, some journalists fully accredited to cover the collation, have been denied access to the collation centre.

Security operatives stationed at the entrance of the INEC headquarters told journalists that a new list had been provided and that only journalists whose media organisations appeared on it would be allowed entry. Those whose media organisations are missing from the list will not be allowed to enter the collation centre, the security personnel said.

Ayo Adenaiye, a journalist with ARISE News, said, "yesterday I saw a new list containing media organisations that will cover the collation process and I discovered that my media organisation was not on the list, which I complained about to the INEC authorities.

"I arrived this afternoon and I was denied access to the collation centre. I have been sitting outside the centre for the past two hours and I'm still waiting."

PREMIUM TIMES also observed that certain observers were also not allowed into the centre.

When contacted, Adam Maulid, the INEC PRO, said "We are trying to decongest the collation centre, which is why some journalists are not given access, please bear with us."

The governorship election is a keenly contested race between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).