The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has warned the Peoples Democratic Party, its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and other chieftains to resolve the crisis and placate Wike ahead of the campaign season.
He lamented that the party leadership has failed to deploy its internal mechanism to resolve the crisis rocking the party.
He further said that ignoring the Rivers governor and his allies posed a great danger for the party.
Ortom stated this during the party stakeholders meeting held at the new banquet hall of the Government House, Makurdi, on Monday.
The governor insisted that the national leadership of the party should address the injustices meted out to Wike and other members of the party.
While cautioning the party leadership, Ortom said that attempting to ignore Wike or any of his allies may spell doom for the party.
He said, “If you dismiss us that you don’t need us, I believe that will be dangerous. I want the party to address the injustices so that as we move into the election, we will work together and we will have no crisis.”
He added, “There is an injustice that has been meted to my friend, Wike because he stood for the party and supported it to the end.
“The leadership of the party should do the needful to resolve the problem and not shove people around as though they are not relevant. Everyone is relevant and one vote can make you fail in an election.
“So, the leadership at the national level should do more; politics is about interest and what is the interest of our state and our people? What do I tell my people in Benue?
“The leadership of the party was not able to deploy its internal conflict resolution management skills in solving the problems that arose and then, it has continued. To me, it is better for us to work together and deliver this party.’’
Speaking about the caucus meeting, Ortom said the stakeholders’ meeting was to discuss the formation of the campaign council in the state.
The governor said the APC had been de-marketed in the state, adding that the PDP is poised to win all elective positions in the forthcoming elections.
Ahead of the polls, a former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, has sued for peace and unity among the PDP members in the state so they could work together for the victory of all the party candidates in the 2023 general elections.
Fayose, who expressed confidence that the PDP would rise again in Nigeria and in particular, Ekiti State, hinted that he remained in the camp of the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.
The ex-governor, who spoke in Ado Ekiti at a PDP stakeholders’ meeting, reminded PDP members in the state that the need to work together as a team for the success of the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar; National Assembly; and State House of Assembly candidates in the 2023 general elections could not be overemphasised.
He said, “Therefore, I am appealing to those who are angry to stop being angry. Those who are fighting should stop fighting. Let us face the 2023 elections together and win first. After that, we can resume the fight.
“A lot has been said, but as I have said many times, let me state it here expressly again that I will never join the All Progressives Congress for whatever reason.
“In all the issues we are having as a party, no one has said that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is not our presidential candidate. No one has said too that Dr Ifeanyi Okowa is not our party’s vice presidential candidate.
“Also, we have senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly candidates here. Among them is my biological son, Joju and others who are my political sons and daughters. My interest is that all these candidates should win elections,” Fayose said.
The PDP governorship candidate in the June 18 election, Bisi Kolawole, who thanked members for support during the poll, said, “Although we lost, I am still grateful to the party for the opportunity and I wish to urge all the party stakeholders to close ranks so that together, we will rise again.”
The PDP acting state Chairman, Lanre Omolase, affirmed the party’s belief in Fayose’s leadership, saying that those plotting against him should sheath their sword in the interest of the party candidates who are standing for elections next year.
THE PUNCH
