OPEN LETTER TO BENUE STATE GOVERNOR,CHIEF SAMUEL ORTOM.

Good morning Your Excellency,

Happy 2017! I hope this letter finds you in good and top condition.

As we begin the New Year, I am again obliged to bring my pleas and that of my people to you, our Governor. I am happy that you are social media friendly and regularly make out time to read what we, your subjects, post here which sometimes reduces the the bureaucracy bottlenecks required to bring issues to your knowledge. That is the beauty of social media and also a shining side of your administration.

Your Excellency, you'll recall that in the buildup to the last general elections in 2015, many strategies, tools and resources were deployed to topple the then ruling government which had run out of favour with the people. Of these tools, social media arguably played one of the largest roles in sensitizing people, disseminating information, curbing voting irregularities and engaging the polity in ways that won many followers over to the vision of chance as it was then preached.

Your party and team marshalled your transition and campaign to ensure statewide acceptability, goodwill and subsequent victory at the polls. However, since your assumption of office, that strong image and personality that garnered abundant goodwill and support has dwindled, largely due to your now questionable social media representation.

The social media team (not sure if one officially exists) does not necessarily represent you and your government in good light. Many a citizen have complained that they are victims of attack and ridicule by those who claim to represent your government on social media.

Any commentary, no matter how valid, is talked down and sneered at while the commentator is marked out for slander. I am afraid this strategy may seem reminiscent of the dirty political model that strives out there but on social media, it only further alienates the people from their leader whom they placed they placed their bet of survival on at the polls. This, seriously, is undoing your whatever is left of your dedication to hardwork and sincere effort.

Your Excellency, you've always stressed that being in government is selfless servitude but the responses of these people who claim your representation online to raised issues don't show any form humility or servantship. Instead of being cultured, they haul insults at any person with a different opinion from that which they deem favourable to government.

It is up to you to train these ones, whether employed or not, they probably shown enough interest to be organised, trained and cautioned on how to engage the public skillfully without fomenting strive. The governors of Lagos, Cross River, Kano and Akwa Ibom have some of the most superb social media teams in the country, Benue can emulate them Sir.

On the other hand, if the activities of these individuals online is not checked, the strategy of trying to replace constructive dialogue with the masses with diatribes and distasteful vituperations will create a moral vacuum for you sooner than later.

Your Excellency, nobody is perfect and we all have our grey areas but let the people have their say especially as the recession bites stronger, don't shut out the peoples avenue to express themselves.

Finally, I’d like to congratulate you on overseeing the task of appointing a new Tor Tiv with the hope that HRH Orcivirigh Prof. James Ayatse will reign in grace and peace.

God bless the good people of Benue state
God bless Governor Samuel Ortom
God bless the Tor Tiv Elect

Yours Truly,
Ukan Kurugh