Africa Press-Nigeria:
Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom on Saturday confirmed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) had reached out to him on the possibility of dumping the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and rejoining the APC ahead of the 2023 elections.
He, however, said tha after much consultation with some of his close allies and the State Congress of the PDP, he has made up his mind to decline the carrot offered him by the APC.
The Governor who disclosed this during the State Elective Congress of the PDP held at Aper Aku Stadium in Makurdi promised to communicate his decision not to leave the PDP to his “friends” in the APC.
‘It is true that the APC has invited me to come back to APC and they are propagating that (he is leaving the PDP) and this is far from the truth.
‘I told them I’ll come and ask you (the state congress). Do you want me to decamp to APC?”, Ortom asked and the delegates chorused, “No, no, no”.
Satisfied with the response, the Governor said: ‘So, I am comfortable with my people (PDP) and I’ll remain in PDP and I will communicate this to my friends in the APC and I will tell them that I consulted with you and you asked me not to leave.’
The Governor expressed gratitude to the party for passing a vote of confidence on him by the Congress adding that he was humbled by the gesture.
‘I’ll not fail you or let you down and we shall be victorious.’
Governor Ortom also assured the party that by the grace of God, the party will sustain the gains of 2019, through to 2023, maintaining that the successes recorded was made possible by the support of party members.
Earlier, Chairman of the Electoral Committee of the state congress, Ambassador Tukur Mani, disclosed that the election into the Benue State Executive Committee was suspended due to the lockdown, hence, it was deferred to August
He said the election provides the opportunity to galvanise and reorganised the party in the State, even as he thanked Governor Ortom for facilitating a peaceful exercise.
Mani said the election was a family affair, and it was a “no victor, no vanquished” situation.
The party’s State Secretary, Dr Joseph Nyam, had moved a motion for the vote of confidence to be passed on the Governor during the State Congress.
Nyam said he was moving the motion because Ortom had performed creditably well as governor and had, therefore, won the confidence of the party.
