From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The State High Court sitting in Gboko, Benue State, has restrained the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from holding the forthcoming congress in six local governments areas of the state.
The congress was earlier scheduled to hold tomorrow, Saturday, August 10.
The order was signed yesterday by Justice J. M. Ayua, in a motion ex parte brought before the court.
The applicants in the suit are Senator Orker Jev, Terseer Tsumba, Aondoyina Grace, Terngu Tsegba and 13 others.
Counsel to the applicants, F.T. Anongo and G.M. Tyoh, prayed for a restraining order to prevent the party from proceeding with the local government congresses until it determines the reason the ward congress scheduled for July 27, 2024, did not take place.
The affected local government areas include Buruku, Gboko, Guma, Kwande, Ushongo, and Konshisha.
The defendants are the PDP, the acting national chairman, national organising secretary and the state chairman of the party, John Ngbede.
“It’s hereby ordered that respondents, their agents, servants or privies, are restrained in the interim from conducting local government congress election scheduled from August 10 in only six local government Areas of Benue State,” the restraining order read.
Meanwhile, the party has suspended Senator Gabriel Suswam, Mr Terngu Tsegba, Richard Gbande, Terseer Tsumba and Professor Nicholas Ada for gross insubordination.
The party, in a statement by the Publicity Secretary, Chief Bemgba Iortyom, said it has also suspended the chairmen of the party for Apa, Gboko, Gwer-East, Katsina-Ala, Konshisha, Logo, Otukpo, Tarka and Ukum local government areas.
The party had summoned the affected persons on Wednesday to appear before the State Working Committee (SWC) to answer to allegations made against them bothering on acts inimical to the good health and interests of the party.
The affected persons were required to appear before the SWC at the party’s state secretariat to interact with the SWC at a preliminary level, and possibly, avoid the need to take disciplinary action against them.
Meanwhile, a coalition of the PDP youths has passed a vote of confidence on the leader of the party and immediate past governor, Chief Samuel Ortom, to express their solidarity with him over the crisis rocking the party.
Addressing a press conference in Makurdi, the youths led by their president, Prince Aondona Isaka, and flanked by other members, Austine Adanwo Christabel Saawuan, David Mzer, and Blessing Abah among others, said they were deeply concerned about the recent happenings in the party…
and also aligned completely with the good leadership Ortom was providing for the party in Benue.
Speaking for the youths, Isaka said they were dismayed over a purported, non-existing suspension notice against Chief Ortom, a script they said was written, sponsored by some unscrupulous elements and acted by the suspended secretary of the party in Benue, Dr. Joseph Nyam.
He described the statement suspending Ortom as childish, maintaining that Ortom was not suspended, but remains the leader of the PDP in Benue State.
According to him, Nyam, at the time of writing the release to suspend a member from the party was already validly suspended from holding his position as state secretary of PDP, and there is no provision in the constitution of the party which allows an individual to suspend a member of the party in such an arbitrary manner.
The youth president said: “Sir John Ngbede, Dr. Joseph Nyam and Moses Audu as state chairman, state secretary and state organising secretary of the PDP in Benue were validly suspended from office by nine out of 13 members of the state working committee members of the party constituting more than two thirds majority in line with the provisions of the party’s constitution.
“So, any action taken by the trio after their suspension is unconstitutional, null and void.”
The youths passed a vote of no confidence and condemned the alleged anti-party activities, comments, actions and inaction of Suswam, whom they also accused of frolicking and hobnobbing with the opposition and publicly showering encomiums on the state governor during and after the PDP’s case against Governor Hyacinth Alia.
They commended Ortom for his maturity, steadfastness, benevolence, humility, discipline and love for the party, despite several cases of betrayal that he has faced from some party stakeholders.
Describing Ortom as a rare leader with a large heart and forgiving spirit, they said those that were not satisfied with Ortom’s leadership were the real enemies and people who did not mean well for the party.
They called on members of the public to disregard the news of the suspension of Ortom from the PDP as the rule and procedure cannot change overnight to satisfy a group that is out to undermine its leader.
The youths urged Ortom not to be distracted by the divisive tendencies and desperate moves of enemies of the party masquerading as stakeholders, assuring that their motives and antics and that of their sponsors would fail woefully.
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