PDP Crisis: I’ll Not Be Intimidated Over My Senate Ambition – Gov Ortom

The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom has declared that he will not succumb to intimidation or blackmail just because of his senatorial ambition.

Ortom also insisted that he will never trade the interest of the state to gain political power, stressing that he will never succumb to blackmail and keep silent in the face of injustice perpetrated by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under Senator Iyorchia Ayu’s leadership.

Ortom, who stated these at an enlarged meeting with Jemgbagh PDP Elders Forum comprising Gboko, Tarka and Buruku Local Government Areas on Sunday, October 9, 2022 at the Gboko residence of Hon. Mike Mku, maintained that power is given by God thus, no one should blackmail him because of his senatorial ambition.

The meeting was at the instance of the Jemgbagh PDP Elders Forum, which sought to get clarifications on the cold war between the Governor and the National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu following calls by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike that the national chairman should resign.

Giving details of what snowballed into the current crises, the Governor dispelled insinuations that he is pulling down a Jemgbagh son, saying that rather he rallied support for the election of Senator Ayu against all odds.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ortom, Mr. Nathaniel Ikyur noted that already, some pseudo-groups claiming to be speaking on behalf of the Jemgbagh political block have been stoking public blackmail against the Governor whom they accused of working against the interest of Ayu.

But, the Governor in a lucid narrative, took time to explain his role in the emergence of the PDP National Chairman, Senator Ayu and his position on the travails the Chairman is facing over calls for his resignation.

Ortom said; “Nobody should think he will intimidate me because of the senate election. If God ordains me to be elected Senator for the Benue North-West Senatorial zone, no amount of blackmail or intimidation could prevent me from winning”.

He further that Senator Ayu, who is also from the Jemgbagh political bloc has mounted a smear campaign and blackmail against his person and office when he met members of the Board of Trustees of the PDP.

Ortom noted that since he is contesting for the Benue North-West Senatorial district seat, he has become a subject of intimidation and blackmail by some Jemgbagh stakeholders as a result of the internal crisis rocking the party with Ayu as the helmsman.

He said following the post-PDP Presidential convention with emerging internal wrangling, he advised Senator Ayu to reach out to aggrieved leaders of the party and plead for their understanding over calls for his resignation, adding that rather than take his counsel, Senator Ayu chose to take the ignoble path of disuniting the party by his actions and utterances.

Ortom insisted that Ayu did not maintain neutrality in handling the affairs leading to the PDP national convention, which produced Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the party, stressing that Ayu committed himself to resigning should a northern presidential candidate emerge at the northern caucus at the Bauchi State Governor’s lodge.

The Governor wondered why Ayu is now reneging on his promise, which he voluntarily made before all the northern leaders of the party, adding that contrary to speculations that he is working at cross purposes with Ayu, he had actively rallied support from his PDP Governors’ colleagues and other critical stakeholders for the emergence of the national chairman with the interest of the state, especially to place Benue in national politics.

Ortom urged the Jemgbagh stakeholders to also invite Ayu and himself to a meeting so that they could both present their positions on the matter, insisting that despite the betrayals, intimidation and blackmail, he would continue to stand for justice for his people.

Chairman of the Jemgbagh PDP Elders Forum, Barrister Sam Tsumba assured that the Forum will invite Senator Ayu and Governor Ortom to further find a way to resolve the conflict.