Members of the Government House Press Crew in Makurdi, Benue State, have publicly dissociated themselves from the vote of no confidence recently passed on the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Governor Hyacinth Alia, Sir Tersoo Kula, by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Benue State Council.
In a communiqué issued on Tuesday and signed by the Chairman of the Government House Press Crew, Pius Iroja Angbo, the group described the move by the NUJ leadership under Comrade Bemdoo Ugber as an orchestrated campaign of blackmail and personal vendetta against the CPS.
The press crew accused the NUJ chairman of hurriedly convening a congress meeting to pass the vote of no confidence in what they termed a “pull him down syndrome” aimed at ridiculing the CPS and scoring cheap political points.
According to the communiqué, Sir Tersoo Kula has conducted himself professionally since assuming office in May 2023, maintaining cordial relationships with journalists while effectively managing media publicity for Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration.
The group further alleged that the action of the NUJ leadership exposed what it described as a deliberate attempt by some members of the media to undermine the Alia administration ahead of the political activities in the state.
“The attempt by Comrade Bemdoo Ugber to use the NUJ platform to publicly ridicule the CPS and score cheap points with his collaborators will fail,” the communiqué stated.
The Government House Press Crew also commended Governor Alia for what it called people-oriented leadership and ongoing developmental projects across the state, arguing that the media should focus more on promoting good governance and development journalism.
The communiqué maintained that the Alia administration had restored peace within the NUJ in the state and ensured a conducive atmosphere that produced one of the most peaceful union elections leading to the emergence of Comrade Bemdoo Ugber as chairman.
The group unanimously passed a vote of confidence on both Governor Alia and the CPS, praising Sir Tersoo Kula for his efforts in strengthening media relations and supporting journalists in carrying out their constitutional responsibility of holding government accountable while promoting government policies and programmes.
The development comes amid growing tensions within media circles in Benue State over the relationship between the NUJ leadership and officials of the state government.
