By Olaleke ASHAFA
The Deputy National Chairman (North), All Progressives Congress (APC) support group, Dr Tom Ohikere, says the achievements of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration is under reported.
Ohikere who doubles as the National Coordinator of the Broom Platform, another APC media support group, stated this while speaking on Wednesday in Abuja.
He underscored the need to project the administration’s achievements to the public ahead of the 2019 general elections.
This, he said, was the reason the platform was planning to undertake a nationwide media tour to document and showcase the development strides of the Buhari-led administration.
He, however, said that the tour which was earlier scheduled to commence on Nov. 15, had been rescheduled to a date to be made public later.
He explained that the tour was rescheduled for the platform to streamline its activities with that of the APC presidential campaign train ahead of the 2019 general elections.
According to him, the rescheduling is also necessary to conform with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guideline on campaign time table and other extant electoral laws
Ohikere said the tour would produce physical evidence to authenticate the development claims of the APC across the states of the federation.
He added that the tour would ensure a comprehensive media appraisal and documentary of the laudable projects of Buhari and the APC governors.
He said that it was also to complement APC on publicity, saying that the team will focus on achievements on infrastructure development.
He said that they would focus on areas of roads, electricity, housing, health, power, transportation, agriculture and education.
“We are going to show Nigerians the impact analysis of what the government has done and its policy of continuity.
“President Buhari has continued the projects left or abandoned by successive governments and this is a landmark achievement,’’ he said.
Ohikere stressed that the platform owed the APC a moral obligation to contribute its quota towards its electoral victory in 2019.
He maintained that the APC-led Federal Government had recorded tremendous successes in governance by investing huge financial resources in key sectors of the economy.
He said it was, however, regrettable that the achievements of the administration was under reported, adding that the public had been misinformed most times.
“It is therefore, our observation that a lot still needs to be done in the areas of public awareness and citizens’ orientation on the “monumental achievements of our great party across the country,” he said.
Ohikere said the media tour, which would include both local and international media organisations, would provide an excellent opportunity to ascertain the stages of infrastructure provided by the Federal Government.
According to him, pictorial facts collected during the tour will be compiled in a publication to be circulated during the APC Presidential and governorship campaigns ahead of 2019 general elections.
He said the platform had planned to host the APC International Media Stakeholders Summit to address the media challenges inherent in the elections.
This, he said, was aimed at initiating capable platforms for combating fake news and hate speeches as well as mobilising media support.
“We promise to make this public project evaluation a very robust infrastructure impact benefits analysis of the APC administration,’’ he said.
Ohikere also said that the platform had already entered into a partnership with NAN and other media outlets to give visibility to the tour as well as project the APC-led administration’s achievements.
