Ortom disagrees with Wike, opposes calls on Ayu to resign

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, on Monday disagreed with his political ally, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, opposing the calls for the resignation of Iyorchia Ayu as the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his replacement by a southern member of the party.

Governor Ortom responding to the Jemgbagh Development Association, social group in Benue State, which accused him of aligning with certain forces in the PDP to force Ayu, his kinsman, declared that he does not support the move to force Ayu to resign as PDP National Chairman, asserting that it is impossible for him to support the removal of someone he helped to appoint.

Governor Ortom reaffirmed his confidence in the ability of Ayu to lead the PDP to victory in the 2023 general elections.

Ortom had earlier protested that the PDP leadership did not handle the Wike agitation properly, saying that the party did injustice to Wike. The Benue governor, however, declared that he believes they should all work together in the PDP for the 2023 general elections.

According to Ortom, “the PDP leadership did not handle the crisis in the PDP well. The party did injustice to my friend, Wike, but I think we should work together.”

Ortom has been in the Wike coalition, which include Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, former Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, former Governor Donald Duke of Cross River State, Prof. Jerry Gana, former Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State, former Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State, chief Bode George, among others, which have been insisting that Ayu must resign and the national chairman been returned to the south as the north has the presidential ticket of the PDP.

Ortom, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur, emphasized it is an open secret that he worked tirelessly, with other prominent Benue citizens, for emergence of Ayu “as the national chairman of our great party even against all odds.”

The statement indicated that, therefore, “the governor could not, turn around to work against him to be removed from office.”

It declared as mischievous “allegations by an amorphous, little known group parading itself as Jemgbagh Development Association, Abuja chapter, that the Benue governor has a hand in Ayu’s current travails”.

The statement further declared: “Governor Ortom vouched for the integrity and capacity of Dr Iyorchia Ayu to lead and rebuild the PDP to victory and rescue Nigeria from the misrule of the APC maladministration.

“That is why Ayu was returned unopposed by the northern caucus of the party and got elected as the national chairman of the PDP at the party’s convention.

“Where was Jemgbagh Development Association, when Governor Ortom galvanised support from across the leaders of the party to make Dr. Ayu PDP’s National Chairman? What was their contribution to that project that they now want to use clannish stance to blackmail the governor?

“This amorphous and emergency Jemgbagh Development Association, Abuja, which has never been heard of before, is now masquerading as the voice of Jemgbagh to embark on campaign of calumny against Governor Ortom, who has worked selflessly for the people of Benue State.

“Governor Ortom is more Jemgbagh than most of the people claiming it now. This is fact, because he has done more for Jemgbagh, both in terms of appointments and projects executed as well as patronage in the area, than even one of the Jemgbagh sons, who was governor. “Besides, Governor Ortom has consistently worked for the unity of Benue State and will never stand in the way of any of her citizens, either here in the state or in the diaspora

“For those, who claimed to be leaders of this Jemgbagh Development Association, Abuja, we urge them to be truly developmental in their drive to build cohesion among the people and attract real development to their area rather than engaging in mischief or blackmail.”