Over 25 groups in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the aegis of Coalition of PDP Progressive Forces on Wednesday endorsed a former Commissioner for Information in Taraba State, Emmanuel Bello, as the National Publicity Secretary of the party.
The pro-democracy organisations said Bello (45), has remained consisted in his demands for justice and egalitarianism in Nigeria.
The position of National Publicity Secretary of PDP has recently been zoned to the North in a move that opened the contest to a variety of aspirants.
Speaking during a crowded world press conference in Abuja, the Director-General of the coalition, Elder Musibau Adedoja said Bello has been at the forefront of preserving the fortunes of PDP in Taraba state as a spokesperson of the government.
He said the choice of Bello would contribute immensely to the party’s positive fortunes and take it to the next level.
According to him, PDP needed a thoroughbred professional who is at home with the media and an image maker who could rebrand the party in the face of vicious attacks from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Adedoja said, “Our party is facing serious image issues. We are being presented as a party of thieves and bad people. Emmanuel Bello is the only one we know who can combine his know how as a media person and experience in government to push for a better image for PDP. Bello also has the energy and expertise to harness all the potentials of the party in his image remaking task and has garnered newsroom experience to relate well with media handlers in the country.”
Bello began his robust media career as a Reporter with Daily Trust Newspaper and rose through the ranks to become its Group Political Editor. He later edited the Leadership Newspapers in Abuja and from there to decided serve as Thisday Newspapers Editor (Nation’s Capital).
After serving as the Editor-in-Chief of Leadership newspaper, he became a back page columnist for The SUN Newspapers where his writing centred on boldly engaging the ruling party.
Beyond print journalism, Bello, a well known commentator on Radio and Television talk show, is currently the main Newspaper reviewer on African Independent Television (AIT) program, Kakaki on Wednesdays.
A respected member of the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE), Bello is well sought after as a media consultant in many ventures.
He is also the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of an online Newspaper, KWARARAFA REPORTERS.
Politically, Bello was appointed Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity by late Governor Danbaba Danfulani Suntai of Taraba State in 2010 and 2011, he was appointed Commissioner of Information, Culture and Tourism.
To demonstrate his loyalty, Bello dropped the position during the political crisis in Taraba State when Suntai’s Deputy, Garba Umar, who was locked in a battle of supremacy with ailing Suntai who was involved in a plane crash. Bello stucked with Suntai until his death in 2017.
An author of a book, Bello is currently working with Governor Darius Ishaku as the Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, a position that has seen him put up spirited defence of PDP policies at the state level against the opposition there.
