*Endorses suspension of Ortom, others
*It’s a kangaroo meeting, Ortom faction kicks
* Summons suswam others over anti-party activities
By Aondover Tyowase
The crisis in the Benue state chapter of the Peoples Democratic party has built up to a crescendo as the faction of the party led by the State Chairman, Sir John Ngbede, yesterday passed a vote of confidence on the chairman and his executive members.
Those to benefit from the vote of confidence excluded the suspended former Governor Samuel Ortom, the State publicity Secretary Bemgba Iortyom, State vice chairman Isaac Mffo and Mr Azua Ashongo.
This decision was taken at the emergency State Executive Committee of the party as well as other critical stakeholders including former House of Representative’s speaker pro-tempore, Honourable Terngu Tsegba, former Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly Terseer Tsumba, former members of the Benue state House of Assembly and many others.
The John Ngbede faction had told our correspondent that it would hold an emergency meeting yesterday in Makurdi at the party’s Secretariat and indeed made that position a reality.
The meeting also endorsed the suspension of former Governor Samuel Ortom, publicity Secretary Bemgba Iortyom, Isaac Mffo and Mr Azua Ashongo.
The meeting presided over by the state chairman maintained that the party will not allow people who do not mean well and have worked assiduously to kill the party succeed.
It challenged the suspended officers to resume at the party secretariat if indeed they have any legitimacy to do so .
Meanwhile, the Governor Samuel Ortom-led faction has summoned former Governor Gabriel Suswam over alleged anti-party activities.
Also summoned are Hon. Terngu Tsegba,Terseer Tsumba and others to appear before it and give reason(s) why disciplinary action should not be taken against them for gross misconduct and anti party activities.
According to the embattled State publicity Secretary of the party Bemgba Iortyom, “the action has become necessary following the invasion of the party’s State Secretariat in Makurdi yesterday by thugs and hoodlums led by suspended State Chairman, John Ngbede which credible intelligence reveals was under the sponsorship and support of the Suswam led group”
He continued “PDP observes that in the particular case of Senator Suswam, weighty allegations have been mounting against him of acts inimical to the good health and interests of the party, including diversion of campaign funds during the 2023 elections, sponsoring of factions and thuggery within the party, sponsoring of publication of internal party disputes, sponsoring of court litigations against the party without recourse to the internal dispute resolution mechanisms of the party among several other things.
“He is also accused of being a spokesperson and errand runner to APC’s Governor Hyacinth Alia to the extent that even when the PDP Governorship Candidate, Engr. Titus Uba, was still in court challenging the outcome of the election, Suswam was going about drumming support for Governor at public functions, with specific reference made to his speech at the burial of late Akua Aper Aku.
“Such acts and many others which Senator Suswam and his cohorts are accused of constitute a violation of Section 58 of the Constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party (as Amended in 2017), and consequently, in line with provisions of the same Section of the PDP Constitution, he and the following are hereby summoned to appear before the State Working Committee of the party tomorrow, Thursday, 8th August, 2024 at the party’s State Secretariat on No. 1, Ochagwu Lawani Street, New GRA, Makurdi, by 10am:
1. Rt. Hon. Terngu Tsegba
2. Hon. Richard Gbande
3. Rt. Hon. Terseer Tsumba
4. Prof Nicholas Ada .
“The Local Government chairmen of the party for the following local government areas are also summoned to appear before the State Working Committee on related charges on the same date, venue and time:
1. Apa
2. Gboko
3. Gwer East
4. Katsina-Ala
5. Konshisha
6. Logo
7. Otukpo
8. Ukum
9. Tarka
“The party condemns in strong terms the invasion of the State Secretariat yesterday by thugs and hoodlums under the leadership of the suspended State Chairman, John Ngbede and the kangaroo meeting he held with some persons, even as he and those involved are strongly advised to desist from such acts forthwith or risk severe punitive action against them.Similarly, PDP condemns the group which held a press conference somewhere in Makurdi today under the name “Concerned Benue PDP Stakeholders”, as the party emphasizes that it has no such group in its fold and those making hate speeches under the nonexistent nomenclature do so in violation of the party’s constitution and will be duly sanctioned should they continue to do so”
