THE Plateau State Chapter of All Progressive Congress (APC), has uncovered plans by supporters of a political party to attack the spokesman of the Gubernatorial Campaign Organisation, Alhaji Shittu Bamaiyi, for being uncomfortable with his coverage of events at the election tribunal.
This was contained in a press statement signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Hon. Sylvanus Namang, and made available to THE NIGERIA STANDARD in Jos, the Plateau State capital recently.
The statement said “The attention of the APC in Plateau State has been drawn to an orchestrated and well – coordinated plans by some desperate supporters of a political party in the state to attack the spokesman of the APC Gubernatorial Campaign Council, Alhaji Shittu Bamaiyi.
“We have it on good authority that members of the political party are very uncomfortable with his coverage of events at the tribunal and have drawn out elaborate plans on how to silence the campaign spokesman. ” “We are reliably informed by insiders that they are greatly worried and afraid of the wide readership and followership attracted by the coverage given by Alhaji Bamaiyi who apart from being a veteran journalist is also a lawyer.
” The public rely more on his reports which are as credible as they truly reflect what transpired at the tribunal rather than the slanted reports by the Judiciary correspondent of a government owned electronic media. We are further informed that given the foregoing, the party felt that it needs to do something urgently to discredit and embarrass him, moreso, when they are about to enter defense as the tribunal resumed sitting “, it stated.
According to the statement, “to carry out the hatchet job, a one time commissioner who is part of the defense counsel is planning with a leading senior lawyer to trump up allegations against Alhaji Shittu Bamaiyi at the tribunal sitting on the 15th August. The main purpose is to discredit whatever he may write about the happenings at the tribunal subsequently.
“To actualise their plan, some selected pressmen have been mobilised to attend tomorrow’s proceeding when the tribunal’s attention would be drawn that Alhaji Shittu Bamaiyi has been misinforming members of the public about the happenings at the tribunal as was raised by one of the Plaintiff’s leading counsel against the earlier mentioned Judiciary correspondent who is fond of misinforming the public.
“Worried by Alhaji Shittu Bamaiyi’s reports which have become a thorn in their flesh, they want to insist that his presence at the tribunal should not be in his capacity as reporter but a spokesman of the APC Campaign Council. It should be noted that Shittu Bamaiyi is a veteran journalist with over thirty years experience in judiciary reporting, and would moreso, as a lawyer not engage in misleading the public by writing what did not transpire at the tribunal”, it stated.
They categorically stated that they have absolute confidence in Alhaji Shittu Bamaiyi’s ability to carry out his function as expected and would therefore resist any attempt to ridicule him at the tribunal.
He, said, “It may be recalled that at the last adjourned sitting of the tribunal, there was a serious attempt to attack Alhaji Shittu Bamaiyi, who based on security tips, had to be rushed out of the tribunal premises.
“We call on the security men at the tribunal to ensure that Alhaji Shittu Bamaiyi and every other person attending the tribunal sitting as free citizens are fully protected. The All Progressives Congress in Plateau State wishes to restate its full support and confidence in the Gubernatorial and other Tribunals sitting in Jos”, Namang emphasised.
