The Publisher of the Ovation magazine, Dele Momodu, has taken to social media to canvass support for the former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, describing him as the lion of Africa.Momodu’s social media campaigns intensified on Tuesday morning as concern over the fate of the ex-governor’sministerial slot continues to grow.Momodu had earlier urged President Mohammadu Buhari to disregard Amaechi’s critics and “protect him with his last strength.”The publisher said, “If I were Buhari, I would protect and promote Amaechi with my last strength; whatever sin he committed is nullified.”Soon after posting the remark, social media users engaged him, saying he was taking the cause for Amaechi to become aminister too far.Many of critics said Momodu was putting “unnecessary pressure” on the lawmakers and over Amaechi’s nomination, saying Nigeria was bigger than any individual.However, the attack on Momodu by other Internet users (who described him as a praise singer) has not stopped his massive social media campaign.On Instagram and Twitter on Tuesday morning, Momodu declared his readinessto stay with Ameachi till the end.He said, “We are watching; even if postponed, we are waiting with him.”The tweet came before the Internet was awash with reports of the postponement of the former governor’s screening.Responding to critics, who observed that the social media show he had put up was fast eroding his integrity, Momodu said, “Even husbands and wives do disagree; on this issue please forgive me, on Ameachi I stand. We can still be friends later.“He was a star in the Peoples Democratic Party who taught us that 16 can never be greater than 19 despite attempts to change simple mathematics.”Describing Ameachi as “lion heart”, he said those who attempted to cage the ex-governor had more to lose in the battle.“Even guards in the zoo are more endangered that the lions they try to cage,” he posted.Momodu said he threw his support behind the politician as he was convincedthat he deserved a place in the current administration.Momodu said his support was because ofhis personal choice, adding that he extended a similar assistance to former President Goodluck Jonathan when he faced injustice.He said his support for the nominee would not lose relevance except “if the dictionary meaning of credibility changes.”According to him, Amaechi’s nomination is not a do-or-die issue but the campaign is a response to the action of the opposition camp.“Their trick is very obvious – demonise Amaechi brutally and hope Nigerians would be fooled. We stand with you (Amaechi),” he noted.Momodu, who had replaced his Twitter profile photograph with that of Ameachi, on the platform also highlighted the former governor’s political career and the many battles he had fought.#IStandWithAmaechi, a hashtag promoted by Momodu, had since Monday gone viral on social media.The Amaechi cause is, perhaps, the biggest online battle the publisher has fought in recent times. His critics said he had thrown caution to the wind in bid “to defend the indefensible”.Twitting on @enobong, Rebecca Roberts, said, “Come on, man you ran for presidency one time; support your bad friend privately.”Responding to Momodu’s Instagram post,one Eny Eniola wondered why Momodu, with his status, had suddenly become Amaechi’s social media campaign manager.http://www.punchng.com/i-punch/amaechi-is-the-lion-of-africa-dele-momodu/
