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Tag: Benue PDP

  • Benue PDP Rep member dumps party for APC

    Benue PDP Rep member dumps party for APC

    The only Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member of the House of Representatives from Benue State, Ojema Ojotu, yesterday dumped the party and joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    In his letter of defection read at plenary by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who presided, the Benue lawmaker hinged his decision to join the APC on the protracted crisis in the PDP at all levels.

    He said the main opposition has not been able to resolve the crisis, making the party an inconvenient place to stay.

    Ojotu’s defection, which was witnessed by Benue State Deputy Governor Samuel Ode, leaves the PDP with only Senate Minority Whip Abba Moro as the main opposition federal lawmaker from the state.

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    The lawmaker said he resigned his membership of the PDP on October 8 because of the internal crisis in the party and unresolved issues, which have made it impossible for him to serve his constituents well.

    According to him, the PDP has become a rudderless political party, hence his decision to dump the party after consultation with his family and constituents.

    Ojotu said he believed the APC would provide him a better platform to contribute to national development.

    House Minority Whip Aliyu Sani Madaki asked the presiding officer to declare Ojotu’s seat vacant in line with the provision of Section 68(1g) of the Constitution.

    Madaki claimed that there was no crisis within the folds of the PDP.

  • Benue PDP petitions CP over alleged soldiers’ brutality, electoral violence

    LEADERS of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Apa Ward, Ado Local Government Area (LGA) in Benue State have appealed to the state Police Commissioner over the alleged assault and intimidation of their members during the March 9 governorship election by soldiers on the orders of Agbese Philip.

    They alleged that Nelson Ogbu, Comrade James Oche, Emmanuel Aboh, Ogbu Ogaba, Innocent Egegwu, Susan Onmonya, Kingsley Onmonya, Otse Unazi, Udah Okibe and the entire PDP Ward executives in the ward were harassed, intimidated by the soldiers led by one Corporal Echo Omerigwe (a.k.a. Tension).

    According to the petition signed by their lawyer, M.S. Agaku, the soldiers also intimidated innocent voters, who were sympathetic to the PDP.

    The petition added that Agbese, who brought them, bragged publicly that they were assigned to him by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai.

    “Agbese Philip also boasted that as a consultant to the Nigerian Army, he has the capacity and the authority to commit any crime,” it stated.

    The petitioners alleged that Agbese led suspected thugs identified as Attah Adadu, Mike Omerigwe and a corps member serving in Bayelsa State, Otse Unazi, among others to New Site Polling Unit, where notable members of the PDP were beaten up.

    Those beaten up, according to the petition, include the Senior Special Assistant to Benue State Governor on Media, Nelson Ogbu and Senior Special Assistant to the former Senate President James Oche.

    They added that those assaulted were forced to abandon their polling unit for their safety.

    “These assaults, threats, intimidation continued in other polling units in Azegbilede, RCM Primary School, Austine Chemist, Apa Ugbozu, Methodist Primary School ll, Uwezekoka and many others, wherein the Special Adviser to the Governor of Benue State Joseph Ogezi and his fellow voters were brutalised.

    “Ballot boxes and other electoral materials were forcefully snatched, later thump-printed and returned back to INEC office leading to the cancellation of election in 10 affected Polling Units.

    “Agbese Philip, the soldiers and thugs publicly embarked on more terrible acts, including but not limited to burning of electoral materials in areas, where the APC performed abysmally. These acts affected the outcome of the election in the ward where results of 10 polling units were cancelled,” the petition stated.

    According to the lawyer, the PDP was concerned that in the scheduled rerun, Agbese might exhibit similar attacks, alleging that he was already bragging about the assignment of more soldiers and thugs to him.

    Calling on the police to investigate those involved with a view to bringing them to justice, the lawyer said actions should also be taken to safeguard life and property in the scheduled rerun.

     

  • Benue PDP welcomes Ortom

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State has welcomed Governor Samuel Ortom following his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    A statement by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Comrade Bemgba Iortyom, noted Ortom is a former state and national official of the PDP, having served as state secretary, state deputy chairman and national auditor.

    Bemgba said: “Ortom’s return to the PDP is a home-coming, one which has increased the party’s membership strength. And in line with our objective to maintain continual membership growth, this is a welcome development.

    “We assure the governor that he is guaranteed rights and privileges entitled him in the constitution, same as there are obligations prescribed to him therein.”

    The publicity secretary said defections into the PDP was a reflection of the party’s quality as the most attractive and viable political platform ahead of 2019; a platform offering Nigerians the best guarantee for a return to good governance and true democracy.

    Some PDP governorship aspirants addressed a news conference in Abuja to reject his return to the party.

    But Ortom, through his media aide, Tahav Agerzua, said he did not need to consult them before returning to the party.

  • Cracks in Benue PDP over Ortom’s defection plan

    •Suswam may join APC •‘Governor to submit resignation letter today’

    There seems to cracks in the Benue State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following the decision of the National Working Committee (NEC) to admit Governor Samuel Ortom into the party and dissolve the executive headed by Chief John Ngbede.

    The deal was allegedly sealed in Ortom’s favour by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and PDP’s National Chairman Uche Secondus.

    Investigations showed that the NWC seems to have technically ignored former Governor Gabriel Suswam, who is the sole financier and leader of PDP in the state, by assuring Ortom and Barnabas Gemade of getting the governorship and Zone A senatorial tickets in 2019.

    The Nation gathered that the executives may be dissolved this week to accommodate the interests of Ortom and Senator Gemade. This may also force Suswan to join the APC and pick the Benue North East Senatorial ticket where he will compete against Gemade.

    At a funeral in Tarka Local Government at the weekend, Senator George Akume referred to  Suswam as “my beloved son” for the first in about 10 years.

    Those at the burial said it was an indication that both have reconciled.

    Efforts to speak with PDP’s state publicity secretary Bemgba Iortyom were unsuccessful and as at last night, Ortom, Suswam and Akume were locked in various meetings to fine tune the new political realignment.

    Speculations are also rife that Ortom will today submit his resignation letter to chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in his Nzorov ward, Guma Local Government Area.

    Since Ortom announced that APC had given him a red card, there have been speculations that he may soon defect to another party.

    But so far the governor has denied joining any party. But rumours have it that Ortom may be heading back to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on whose platform he served as the Minister of State, contested the  governorship primaries and lost, before joining the APC and won the governorship election.

    It was gathered from the governor’s close aide that after submitting his resignation letter today, Ortom will formally inform his kinsmen in Guma council of his intention to dump the APC.

    A source who is privy to the deal, said the PDP structure in the state would likely be handed over to Ortom after defecting.

    But a PDP member seeking election into the House of Assembly said Ortm cannot take over the party structure since former Governor Gabriel Suswam is still the leader.

    He said: “We can’t stop Governor Ortom from joining PDP, but we are waiting for the sharing formula to be made public before we know the next step to follow.”

    Another PDP member said: “If the deal to bring Governor Ortom into the party does not favour us, we shall defect to the APC.”

  • Benue PDP chieftains boycott Jonathan rally in Minna

    Benue PDP chieftains boycott Jonathan rally in Minna

    Some chieftains of the PDP billed to attend a zonal rally in Minna, where the candidacy of President Jonathan for the 2015 presidential election is expected to be endorsed today have boycotted the rally.

    It was gathered that the party chieftains and Benue delegation to the rally boycotted it as a result of the killing of some Tiv farmers during their clash with Fulani herdsmen.

    The Nation gathered that as the bus which was conveying the delegation to Minna for the North Central zonal rally involving Benue, Kogi, Niger and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) approached Daudu town in Benue State, they saw some internally displaced  persons allegedly shot by soldiers from the 72 Special Battalion in Makurdi in pains at the roadside.

    The soldiers, who were drafted to restore order in the town, were said to have opened fire and shot the victims in the process.

    Upon sighting the victims and other members of the community who were fleeing for dear lives, Chief Godwin Ikyereve, a former federal PDP lawmaker representing Gwer/Gwer West, was said to have ordered the driver of the bus conveying them to the Minna venue of the rally to stop and alighted.

    Other PDP chieftains on the delegation were said to have followed in his steps.

    In a telephone interview with The Nation, Chief Godwin Ikeyereve, a former chairman of  the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Benue State Council, said it made no meaning to go to a PDP zonal rally in Minna, which he described as a jamboree, while blood was flowing in Tiv land.

    He said: “I dropped from the bus on the way to Minna because my people were being killed and driven from their homes.

    “I saw women with children on their back, trekking long distances. Some were shot and killed, others were abandoned in their blood.

    “I can’t attend a jamboree in the current circumstances. Even though am still a PDP member, the security of my people is paramount and should be given attention before the jamboree called the PDP zonal rally, because we are elected to provide security of life and property.”

    Many PDP members who could not hold back tears when they saw the plight of the displaced persons and also dropped  from the Minna bound bus included council chairmen, House of Assembly members and ex-lawmakers.

    In another development, the Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide; the Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Mulikat Akande-Adeola and former Oyo State governor, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, were among the Peoples Democratic Party chieftains who boycotted the inauguration of the party’s State Elders and Caucus Committee in Ibadan yesterday.

    Other supposed members of the committee who were absent from the inauguration ceremony included a former Oyo State Deputy Governor, Taofeek Arapaja; Sen Hosea Agboola; Elder Wole Oyelese; Alh Bisi Olopoenia; Senator Gbenga Babalola and Hon. Folake Olunloyo-Oshinowo.

    In his welcome address, the PDP Chairman in the state, Mr Yinka Taiwo, who performed the inauguration of committee members, tasked them to work together in order to help the party’s executive to reclaim the state from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He said: “The goal of reclaiming Oyo State is possible. We can win most of the elective positions and control Oyo State come 2015, and that is because you are all joining hands to make it happen.

    “I must tell you that we have been contacted by many people, upbraided by others and advised by many that the people of Oyo State are waiting for us to say the word PDP and they will embrace us because they now know what they lost in 2011. The people are earnestly waiting for the PDP and we must not let them down.”

    Senator Lekan Balogun, who said he was delighted with the inauguration of the committee, noted that its absence had been responsible for the crisis within the party.

    He said: ”The opposition cannot withstand us if we are united. This committee will work towards harmonising ourselves. Let us allow the committee to do their best and they should also make themselves relevant.”

    Members of the committee who came for the inauguration include former Senate Leader, Teslim Folarin; former Oyo State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarumi; former military governor of Lagos and Ogun states, Gen. Raji Rasaki (rtd); Ambassador Yomi Akintola; Alhaji Yekini Adeojo; former Minister of Agriculture, Chief Bamidele Dada and a former Speaker of the state’s House of assembly, Alhaji Moruf Atilola.

    Others include Oyo State House of Assembly Minority Leader, Alh Rauf Adekunle; Senator Kamoru Adedibu; Alh Bose Adedibu; Alh Dejo