Breaking: Ortom finally Dumps APC for PDP

Malik Yahya/

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has formally announced his exit from the All Progressive Congress.

Ortom said he is now a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

He said he has submitted his resignation letter from APC to his ward chairman.

The governor said other APC leaders in state would soon be joining him in PDP.

Giving reasons for his defection at meeting with local government chairmen and councillors at the Government House, Makurdi, Ortom claimed that the state chapter of the ruling APC had continued to launch an attack on him.

Thirteen local government chairmen and 276 councillors were in attendance.

Ortom also announced that 10 out of the 17 state lawmakers elected on the platform of the APC were ready to follow him to PDP.

Earlier today, some youths under the auspices of ‘Coalition of Benue Youths’, had forced Ortom’s driver to remove the flag of the APC flag from his car.

The youths also prevented the governor from proceeding to Abuja, where it was understood that he was to attend a meeting with party leadership, with the aim of settling the rift between him and APC leader in the state, George Akume.

The youths had reportedly stormed the Government House in the morning to stop the governor from traveling to Abuja.

The governor had, around 10am, taken off from Government House, Makurdi, when the youths in their hundreds blocked his route.

The youths carried placards with various inscriptions such as: “Ortom, don’t go back to APC,” “We don’t have land to donate for ranching,” “APC is Miyetti party,” Our farms are not for cows,” You must leave APC,” Ortom is our party,” and “2019: On Ortom we stand.”

The youths also threatened not to vote for him if he shuns their advice not to attend the meeting.

One of the spokesmen of the youths, Pastor David Ogbole, ordered the removal of APC flag from the governor’s official car, and the governor’s driver complied immediately and removed the flag.

“We need a leader that will protect us and you have shown that in the past three years; but we don’t want you to attend the meeting with the leaders of APC.

“But if you insist, there is no problem; but be ready to crush all of us,” Ogbole said.

The governor pleaded with the youths to allow him attend the meeting with the promise to protect their interest, but eventually did a U-Turn when they insisted that he should not go.

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