•••As Armed Policemen Take Party Secretariat
Attah Ede Makurdi
Armed police operatives were on Thursday, seen stationed in and around the secretariat of Peoples Democratic Party, in Benue State.
The policemen didn’t obstruct any movement in and out of the secretariat located at No1. Ochagwu Lawani Street Makurdi.
They were said to be working on “an order from above”.
Meanwhile a memo from the national secretariat of the main opposition People’s Democratic Party in Abuja, has directed the chairman and other executive members of the party in the Benue State to immediately vacate office, saying that their tenure has come to an end.
The letter sighted by our correspondent in Makurdi, signed by the national organising secretary of the party, Umar M. Bature and addressed to John Ngbede, the state chairman of the party, indicated that the tenure of the current leadership of the State expired on August 8, 2024.
Mr. Bature noted that the expiration is due to effusion of time, pursuant to section (47) of the party’s constitution.
Part of the letter read, “This is to formally notify you of the expiration of the tenure of the current state executive committee of our party in Benue State, having being elected for four(4) years ago, this is August 08,2024.
“This expiration is due to effusion of time, pursuant to section (47) of the party’s constitution.
“Please, note that to avoid creating vacuum, the national caretaker committee NWC has resolved to constitute a fresh state caretaker committee for your state(Benue)”.
“While thanking you for your service to the party, please accept the assurance of the NWC highest regards”.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue, in the last two few days has been engulfed in a crisis of leadership in the State.
On Thursday (today) members of state working committee loyal to former governor Samuel Ortom slammed indefinite suspension on former Benue State Governor, Senator Gabriel Suswam, Terngu Tsegba, Richard Gbande, Terseer Tsumba and Professor Nicholas Ada for gross insubordination.
Other suspended officials are the chairmen of the party for, Apa, Gboko, Gwer-East, Katsina-Ala, Konshisha, Logo, Otukpo and Ukum Local government areas.
The party had summoned the affected persons yesterday, 7th August, 2024, to appear before the State Working Committee (SWC) to respond to allegations made against them bothering on acts inimical to the good health and interests of the party.
The allegations included diversion of campaign funds during the 2023 elections, sponsoring of factions and thuggery within the party, sponsoring of publication of internal party disputes, sponsoring of court actions against the party without recourse to the internal dispute resolution mechanisms, among several other things.
The Pro Ortom PDP leadership In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Chief Bemgba Iortyom which was made available to newsmen in Makurdi, stated that in the case of Senator Suswam, he was also accused of being a spokesperson and errand runner to APC’s Governor Hyacinth Alia.
According to him, Suswam at a point when the PDP Governorship Candidate, Engr. Titus Uba, was still in court challenging the outcome of the election, was going about drumming support for the APC governor at public functions.
The party made specific reference to Suswam’s speech at the burial of late Akua Aper Aku where he openly spoke against the party.
The statement added that the affected persons were required to appear before the SWC today at the party’s State Secretariat on No. 1, Ochagwu Lawani Street, New GRA in Makurdi by 10am, the aim of their summons being to interact with them at a preliminary level and possibly avoid the need to take disciplinary action against them.
