From Attah Ede, Makurdi
Stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State, on Tuesday, called for an internal resolution of all grievances by aggrieved members of the party.
They also called for peace, and enjoined members to close ranks adhere to the authority of the laws of the party in the spirit of the principle of party supremacy.
The Party stakeholders therefore, passed a vote of confidence on the National Chairman of the party, Amb. Umar Damagum, the senate minority leader and senator representing Benue South Senatorial District, Comrade Abba Moro, the immediate past governor of the Benue State, Chief Samuel Ortom and other leaders for their efforts towards strengthening the party both at national and state levels.
The vote of confidence was passed on the leaders at a peace and unity press conference addressed by the party’s stakeholders in Makurdi in respect of the party’s local government congress that was peacefully conducted across 17 out of 23 LGAs of the State.
The stakeholders particularly commended the National Working Committee of the party under the leadership of Amb. Damagum, for the direction and support given to the party in State through the congresses conducted thus far.
Leader of G-9 and Chairman of Benue PDP Elders forum, Dr. Laha Dzever who read the text of the press conference, said as critical stakeholders of the party, they acknowledged the challenges that have arisen from the conduct so far of the ongoing elective Congresses to put in place executive structures for the party in the state.
He said the aim of the peace and unity press conference was to shed light on topical issues, and by so doing douse tensions and reinforce confidence in their members and the general public who look up to the PDP as the most viable alternative political platform.
“As attested to by the National Local Government Congress Committee to the state, the exercise under its watch was successful in all of the 17 local government areas where it held.
“We await the judgment of the court and hopefully the eventual conduct of the exercise in the remaining 6 local government areas, even as we are expecting the arrival to the state of the National Local Government Appeal Panel. We trust that the Panel will receive and attend to the complaints as may arise from the conduct of the recent exercise, with the same, or even better sense of duty and astuteness as the Ward Appeal Panel.
“None of these could have been achieved without the collective will, determination and selflessness of the party’s college of leaders under the capable leadership Samuel Ortom who is Benue PDP’s Leader and the Senate Minority Leader, Distinguished Senator Patrick Abba Moro, as well as His Excellency, Senator Gabriel Suswam.
“At this juncture, we unanimously pass a Vote-of-Confidence on the National Working Committee of our great party under the leadership of National Chairman, Ambassador Damagum.
“We also pass a Vote-of-Confidence on the Leader of the PDP in Benue State, His Excellency, Chief Samuel Ortom for the sacrificial work he has been doing tirelessly to reposition the party and to keep it growing stronger towards the objective of recapturing power in future elections.
“It is further our position that a vote-of-confidence is hereby passed on the Leader of the Opposition in Nigeria, Senate Minority Leader, Distinguished Senator Patrick Abba Moro, for his steadfast commitment to the well-being and growth of PDP in Benue State and beyond, and for doing the party proud by the competent manner he is discharging his legislative and representative duties on the floor of the Red Chamber of Nigeria’s National Assembly.
“We urge the Benue PDP family to more than ever before, close ranks and place the interests of the party above those of individuals or groups within its ranks. “The umbrella of the party is large enough to accommodate the aspirations of its members at the various opportunities for elective offices as will arise from time to time” Dr. Dzever said.
The stakeholders however congratulated those who were elected into the Ward and Local Government Executive Committees so far, and charged them to be magnanimous in victory, by reaching out to those who aspired alongside them, saying that the spirit must be that of “No Victor, No Vanquished”.
“We call for adherence to the laws of the party which copiously provide for safeguarding the rights of its members and the obligations they owe it.
“As members of the PDP, we must, even when aggrieved, be guided by provisions of Section 58 of the party’s constitution (as Amended in 2017) which prohibit the sponsoring of subversive activities within its ranks, publication of its internal disputes and resort to litigation without first exhausting the dispute resolution modalities provided in its domestic forum.”
