In the past few weeks, Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has been reorganizing his media team. This commenced after Sir Paul Chukwuma announced members of his campaign team made up of experienced and credible hands who are familiar with Anambra State and its politics.
Apparently rattled by this development, Governor Soludo responded starting by appointing Mr. Chuka Nnabuife as Managing Director of the Civic and Social Reformation Office.
Nnabuife who was the Managing Director of Anambra Newspaper and Printing Corporation, which Soludo has shut down, was initially interviewed for the position more than six months ago.
Coincidentally, his appointment, it would appear, came as part of Soludo’s response to Sir Paul Chukwuma, who is now the new face of strategic opposition politics in Anambra State.
Last week, the governor announced the sack of the Managing Director of Anambra Broadcasting Service – ABS, Chido Obidiegwu, and immediately replaced him with Mr. Molokwu. Then on Tuesday, Soludo’s Commissioner for Information Paul Nwosu, left the government and on that same day, the governor sent Dr. Law Mefor as his new nominee for the position of Commissioner for Information in Anambra State, to the Anambra State House of Assembly. The same day, he was screened and confirmed and sworn in immediately as the new Anambra State Commissioner for Information. During the screening at the plenary presided over by Rt. Hon. Chukwuma Okoye, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Dr. Mefor was required to respond to questions from honourable members. Rt. Hon. Okoye took time to recognize and call members to ask their questions. Hon. Noble Igwe, Hon. Golden Ilo, Hon. Ikenna Ofodeme, the Majority Leader, Hon. Tony Muobike, Hon. Ndubuisi Ngobili, and Hon. Augustine Ike, asked questions to which Dr. Mefor duly answered.
Two things stood out from his responses; one is that Dr. Law Mefor is fully aware that his appointment carries significant political weight and an unimaginable demand on him to deliver on that mandate.
Unsurprisingly, Dr. Mefor kept emphasizing that he would rely on political communication and also work with Chuka Nnabuife’s agency, to manage the people’s perception. The second thing that stood out when responding to the inquiry about how he intends to get the money to fund his political communication, he said he would rely on his goodwill and longstanding contacts.
This may suggest that Dr. Law Mefor is already familiar with the problem funding has created for the media in Soludo’s government.
As an experienced media personality, Dr. Mefor might have done his bits if he started the journey with Governor Soludo. But right now, with the level of disconnection between the current government in Anambra State and the people, the rising insecurity, the lack of human face which the government is often accused of, and the more traditional accusation of lack of listening ability by the government; all these have now made the job far more uneasy. Although Dr, Mefor is grounded in media practice and may better manage press men and women in Anambra State, the challenge now is that he has inherited a neglected media community and the benefits will naturally rub off. He has inherited goodwill that has now dried up and a relationship that has turned sore.
For that and many more reasons, there is only a slim chance for him to make a good impression and quickly win the support he needs to succeed. With about a year to the next governorship election, Mefor has not exactly joined the government in the best of times. However, at least, Anambra State now has a Commissioner for Information who will answer his phone calls and respond to messages from journalists. But it is not enough.
The reality is that it is not going to be an easy ride. Whatever it’s worth, what Dr. Law Mefor plans to do differently might not align with the expectations of his employer. Considering that Prof. Soludo is now almost anxious about his public perception, his expectations are certainly high. At some point, if Dr. Mefor falls into work pressure as the stake becomes higher, political dynamics might change with intense speed and cause a sweep. This is predictable. For now, the only person who can make a difference in Governor Soludo’s public perception is Governor Soludo himself.
Written by Ebuka Onyekwelu
Source: Pilot News
