PDP, APC Bicker over Alleged Planned Defection of Ortom

George Okoh in Makurdi

The People Democratic Party (PDP)and the All Progressive Congress(APC) in Benue State have engaged themselves in a war of word over the state Governor, Samuel Ortom, alleged defection plan to the APC.

With Senator Barnabass Gemade defected to APC recently, the APC state Chairman, Abba Yaro, had alleged that Ortom may be the next person that will be joining the APC.

This drew the anger of the PDP and the state government.

In its reaction, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Terver Akase, disclosed that Governor Ortom has no plan to defect from PDP to the APC or any other political party.

He said this clarification has become necessary “as it is pertinent to state categorically that Ortom is not contemplating leaving PDP for whatever reason.

“The governor believes that the political, economic and security challenges currently facing the country cannot merely be solved by people decamping from one political party to another,” saying: “What is most important at this point is for Nigerians from all walks of life to join hands and surmount the challenges confronting the country.”

He added that Ortom is comfortably leading the PDP in Benue State to achieve developmental milestones for the people, and that he remains focused on the mandate of providing good governance to all parts of the state.

But in a swift reaction, the state Spokesman of the APC, James Unguga, chided the statement from the governor CPS, describing it as mischievous.

He said the statement mischievously quoted the APC chairman as announcing Ortom’s return to the broom party.

“Much as it is safe to ignore the statement and rather watch as the Ortom media handlers are known overtime for anticlockwise statements, which oftentimes negate the actual actions of their boss, it is important to straighten the facts, touching on the quotes foisted on the APC state chairman,” he said.

Explaining the party chairman’s position while speaking at the decamping ceremony of Gemade in Konshisha last Friday, he had declared that with the return of Senator Gemade, former Speaker, Yakubu Dogora, and other top politicians who left the APC before the 2019 general election, it is possible that the Benue State governor may also follow them to where all Nigerians are headed.”