* Samuel Ortom
By Funso Alarape
Tuesday August 6, 2024
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The Benue State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced the suspension of former Governor Samuel Ortom due to alleged anti-party activities.
Ortom, an ally of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, was accused by the state chapter of leading and abetting the snatching of election materials during the recent Ward Congresses.
Ortom, an ally of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, was accused by the state chapter of leading and abetting the snatching of election materials during the recent Ward Congresses.
This was made known in a statement on Monday signed by the Secretary of the party in Benue State, Joseph Nyam.
The party stated that the action of the former governor resulted in the non-conduct of congresses in several local government areas, including Buruku, Gboko, Ushongo, Guma, Tarka, Kwande, and Ohimini.
Ortom was suspended alongside three others: Isaacs Mffo, Azua Ashongo, and Bemgba Iortyom.
Crisis hits Benue PDP
In another development, the PDP has reportedly been hit by crisis following the alleged suspension of the State Chairman of the party, Sir John Ngbede, the State Secretary, Joseph Nyam, and the State Organising Secretary, Moses Audu, by the State Working Committee, SWC, of the party.
The suspension of the three State Working Committee, SWC, members was contained in a statement issued Monday in Makurdi by the state publicity officer of the party, Chief Bemgba Iortyom.
The statement claimed that the leaders who would proceed with a one-month suspension were axed over alleged impersonation and instigating crises during the just concluded ward congresses of the party, among other allegations.
They were also directed to appear before a disciplinary committee to answer the charges brought before them.
Part of the statement read: “The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Benue State has suspended three members of its State Working Committee from office for one month with immediate effect.
“The affected officials are the state chairman, John Ngbede; the state secretary, Joseph Nyam; and the state organizing secretary, Moses Audu.
“The action was carried out at an extraordinary meeting of the State Working Committee of the party on Saturday, August 3, 2024, at which nine out of the 13 members were present and assented to the decision.
“The suspended members are accused of forging and impersonating the State Working Committee to achieve their aims, instigating violence and crisis during the just concluded Ward Congresses of the party, and mismanagement of the finances of the party, among other things.
“They have been directed to appear before the disciplinary committee of the party to answer the charges brought against them within the period of their suspension.
“The State Deputy Chairman, Isaac Mffo, is now the State Chairman of the PDP in Benue State in an acting capacity. The PDP family and the general public should take note.”
When contacted, the suspended chairman, Sir Ngbede, said, “I don’t know that Bemgba Iortyom is suspended by his ward, so he is not the publicity secretary of the party.
“We didn’t have any meetings, and there was no State Working Committee meeting, so where did they get that authority to suspend the chairman?
“Until now, we have not seen anything. Most of them claim to suspend people who have resigned from their positions to contest for various positions in the coming congresses, so how can people who have resigned from their positions come to hold a meeting to suspend the chairman?
“Who are they, and where do they hold the meeting? A lot of them have resigned. The state deputy chairman of zone A, state treasurer, and state organizing secretary have all written letters resigning from their positions. So why are they suspending somebody who has already resigned?”
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