Nigerian Concord Newspaper
The Benue State governor, Father Hyacinth Alia has officially recruited a media wing of the state chapter of All Progressive Congress popularly known as BAMET as a mean of propaganda against his estranged political godfather, Senator George Akume.
This was disclosed to this newspaper this morning by a prominent member of the media team who has a different opinion to the governor’s request.
Part of the assignments given to BAMET which is led by the State publicity secretary of the party, Daniel Morgan Ihomun is to begin massive media attacks on Chief Samuel Ortom PhD.
The reason for the unscheduled inauguration of the media team was connected to the incompetence of the governor’s chief press secretary, Kula Tersoo, to handle public and government issues satisfactorily.
It was gathered that members of Alia’s inner caucus have been uncomfortable with some misleading press releases which Tersoo is issuing on behalf of the governor.
The inner caucus is also angry over the immature and unprofessional way the Chief Press Secretary to the governor handled the controversial commissioner nominees issue last week.
The leader of the caucus, Paul Biam was said to have advised the governor to recruit some social media handlers to handle his public issues. He also told Alia that it was Ortom’s formidable social media team that helped him to fight Senator George Akume successfully in 2018 especially during the Anti Open Grazing Law and red card issues.
Although, Alia told members of his newly formed social team at the meeting which held at the Banquet Hall of the Benue Government House in Makurdi that he was enjoying a good relationship with Senator Akume, he held another private meeting with six leaders of the media team where he begged them to begin media attacks against the SGF and his predecessor (Ortom)
According to Alia, Ortom’s sin is that he is becoming very popular more than his administration. He also said that he needs social media to cut the former governor’s sympathy which he is already getting from members of the public.
For Akume, the governor accused him of trying to hijack his administration, stressing that there is need to cut the SGF’s influence in Benue State.
This newspaper however gathered that the media team won’t be carrying out the attacks on Ortom and Akume for free as an undisclosed amount of money was earmarked immediately to begin the media terrorism.
Also, members of the governor’s social media team will be getting a stipend of N25,000 each every month.