Immediate-past Governor of Benue State Samuel Ortom has dismissed a rumour that he is set to dump the People Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ortom, who disclosed this during the PDP expanded caucus meeting in Makurdi, the state capital, said such rumours are inimical, stressing that he has no plan to leave PDP which he has built for years.
Recall that the former governor, is the leader of the G-5 PDP governors who worked against the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the 2023 election.
Speaking at the meeting however, Ortom said, “We as leaders of the party, we have no issues and we are calling on all party members to work in unity to ensure that that the party bounces back to return power to the people which is the slogan of the party”
He said, “We as stakeholders, we will expose anyone found peddling unsolicited rumour, advert and gossip aimed at dividing stakeholders to serve as deterrent to would be mongers.”
On the forthcoming PDP local government and ward congresses, Ortom said there will be no imposition of candidates, adding that members will choose candidates of their choice.
“We want to allow the people to give us a candidate of their choice, and I want to say here that PDP is the only opposition party that is firm and from now onwards we will make the party more vibrant and strong through our unity and with these we will succeed in subsequent elections.”
The Senate minority leader, Senator Abba Moro has described APC in Benue State as a confused political party that lacks direction.
Moro, who disclosed this during the PDP expanded caucus meeting in Makurdi, the state capital, said the APC made lots of promises while desperately looking for power but became confused after acquiring power, judging by the crises within its fold.
The lawmaker admitted that his party, PDP, made mistakes that led to its failure during the last general elections and advised party members to unite in order to reclaim their mandate in 2027.
“I want to warn those trying to sow seeds of discord between myself, Senator Gabriel Suswan and Samuel Ortom to steer clear because there is no crisis between us and we have resolved to work together for the progress of the party,” Moro warned.
Earlier, the erstwhile governor of the State sen. Gabriel Suswam urged party members not to dwell much on what happened in the past but strategise on ways to win subsequent elections.
While commending the PDP chairman in the state for calling the meeting to reawaken the dying spirit of party members, Suswam urged all PDP members in the state to put their past behind them and forged a common front to ensure that the party reclaim its mandate because PDP is a winning party and appealed for similar meetings to be organised at the zonal and local levels
n a welcome address, the state PDP chairman Sir John Ngbede explained that the meeting is put together to brief members of developments confronting the party for repositioning.