Publicity Secretaries of the All Progressive Congress, APC, from the 36 states of the federation, Friday, converged on Makurdi, the Benue state capital, in a summit to strategise on how it can better promote the ideals of the party.
The participants at the conference were encouraged to tackle issues of fake news, lies as well as propaganda as it prepares ahead of 2019 general elections.
The summit themed: “Communicating and Consolidation Change” was the 3rd since it’s inception.
Flagging off the summit, the national publicity secretary of the party, Joe Igbokwe, represented by the national secretary, Okeilo Madukaife, said they were in Benue to discuss how they can better enlighten the people on issues and project truth without bitterness, believing APC will emerge top at the end.
The Secretary of the APC Campaign Council, Professor Eugene Aliegba tasked them to look at the issues of propaganda, fake news among others and come out with ways to tackle them.
Aliegba, a professor of political science said the APC in Benue is grateful that the conference was holding in the state saying it was an opportunity for them to strategise on how to win the 2019 election both at the state and national level.
“In Benue, we are dealing with lies, deceit, misinformation and high level of professional propaganda and a hoax, bitterness arising from an attempt to inculcate negative representation of what exists,” he said.
He called on them to package their campaign strategically well to win the 2019 general elections.
“The party and the campaign organisation expect you to come out with matching propaganda,” he said.
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He acknowledged that there were security issues in the state but urged them to work hard to bring out the real facts and stories behind the mayhem.
Aliegba, a former commissioner in state, described Makurdi, the state capital as the dirtiest, and undeveloped, asking the publicity secretaries to take a tour of the capital to be better informed.
Some of Publicity secretaries, Adaji Usman, FCT, and Abubakar Gambo Danmusa, Katsina State, who spoke to journalists said they hoped to be better informed and equipped after the event.
They also expressed the confidence that come 2019, the party will reclaim Benue state as one of the APC states.
