PLATEAU: GOV. LALONG’S MEDIA TEAM SPLIT, OVER POLITICAL SUSPICION OF EACH OTHER—INVESTIGATION

By: Valentine Adese and Alfred Saiki,

The information department of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in Plateau State under the watch of Governor Simon Bako Lalong seems to be collapsing, owing to alleged infighting and suspicion among the team members.

Sadly, news in the media, with respect to the ongoing selection of members to fill the vacant positions in the 17 Local Government Councils under the Management Committee system in the state, is taking a negative dimension. 

 

GOV. LALONG OF PLATEAU STATE

Yet, in the past 48 hours, REALITY can categorically state that, no member of the Governor’s information team has found it necessary to step out to put the event records straight since it affects the image of the Governor.

You would recall that there have been reports of infighting within the members of the APC in the 17 LGAs, over who should be selected to fill the vacant positions made possible by the sack of the last Management Committee members.

REALITY gathered that stones and other harmful objects have been used by aggrieved members of the party to disperse the APC members in the venues where these selections have being take place.

 REALITY investigation strongly shows that the once unity of purpose that led to the appointment of the Special Adviser (SA), the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) and the Director of Press to the Executive Governor, is no more cordial and it is putting the state governance in a bad shape.

You would recall that Hon. Daniel Manjang, Mr. Mark Longyen, and Mr. Emmanuel Samuel Nanle are SA, SSA, and DOPPA to Governor Lalong respectively. 

This development is coming at a time the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is making efforts to put its house and media team together in preparation for the forthcoming elections.

PLATEAU STATE

REALITY findings indicates that, the staffers and supporters of the three, have continued to express misgivings over alleged ambition and usurpation of powers of each thereby, creating room for frustration of the pragmatic steps of each.

Findings from the State Government House, holds that some of the staffers and stringers in the media team, believe that the influence of the Director of Press and Public Affairs (DOPPA) to the Governor, Mr. Emmanuel Nanle in recent times, has being growing out of bounds and needs a cut. They believe he is even getting more popular than the Governor himself, with his appearances on live Radio and Television programmes. They also feel that, speaking on behalf of the State Government in some of these appearances, he was usurping and jumping into the affairs of the State Commissioner of Information. 

The plot to deprive him of these opportunities is already been plotted, REALITY can categorically state.

The mistrust of Mr. Mark Longyen, by the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) over alleged funds meant for the Union to which the Governor was petitioned, is already working against him, as REALITY gathered that he is constantly been sidelined on major activities.

More also, REALITY gathers that Mr. Mark Longyen is being sidelined on the ground that he has constantly demonstrated that he is closer to the governor, within the Media circle in the state’s government house.

For Hon. Daniel Manjang, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, he seems to be enjoying the day as his voice seems to have replaced that of Mr. Nanle in recent live programmes in the state. However, people are becoming suspicious of his combined role with a recently sacked Management Committee Chairman of Pankshin Local Government instead of members of the known media team of the Governor.