The crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State assumed a disturbing dimension as the publicity secretary of the party, Mr. Samuel Agbo, and Woman Leader, Mrs. Dooshima Jirgba, have resigned their membership and positions from the party.
The resignation of the party officials came as the APC also denied issuing a red card to Governor Samuel Ortom or any other member of the party in the state.
But Mr. Jirgba, in a statement he personally signed pointedly accused the APC at the centre of not reflecting the yearnings and aspirations of people of the state.
He stated that comments from key actors of the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration and the president’s body language, actions and inactions had shown a clear case of unwillingness to ending the security situation in the state.
“Under the APC, there’s no justice for Benue as exemplified by no clear indication by the party’s controlled federal government to addressing the challenges facing the state spiralled by the persecution of His Excellency, Samuel Ortom, the governor”.
“I am aware of the promises made to me by the party in the state. However, I wish to state unequivocally that I cannot trade my life and conscience as well as the future of the state including the fate of thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) for material things”.
The former image maker of the party maintained that he has confidence in the ability and the unwavering determination of His Excellency, Samuel Ortom, to giving leadership direction to the actualization of the yearnings and aspirations of the people of the state saying he will follow the Governor wherever he goes.
However, the party in a statement by its Director of Publicity, Comrade Apeh Peterhot and obtained by New Telegraph in Makurdi, stated categorically that it “has not at any point given a red card to Governor Samuel Ortom or any other member of the party. Rather, the party at its last state congress in Makurdi endorsed the Governor, Samuel Ortom, and leader of the party in the State, Senator George Akume for another term in office”.
Comrade Peterhot explained that the endorsement of the governor and leader of the party was meant to further unite the party in the state and provide a stable political atmosphere for the governor and the leader of the party to deliver better dividends of democracy to the people of the state. In return for the endorsement by the state chapter of the party, we demanded from the governor on behalf of the people of Benue State improved welfare for the people.
“These demands became necessary due to the fact that despite several interventions by the Federal Government in form of bailouts, Paris Club Refunds, budgetary supports coupled with the huge borrowings by his administration amongst others, the State is still clouded with huge salary arrears and unpaid pensions of retired civil servants, huge deficits of basic infrastructure and porous security situation bedeviling the state. It is consequence upon these that as a party, we demanded explanations on the handling of affairs especially issues bothering on security in the state”.
“We are grossly embarrassed that these issues raised with the governor in confidence for the purpose of repositioning governance to better the lot of Benue people and position the party on the path of victory ahead of the 2019 general elections is been juxtaposed and treated unclad without regard to the code of secrecy on which premise we laid our demands for better governance”.
“It is however disheartening that the governor, apparently trying to shy away from accountability and to portray the party in bad light before the unsuspecting members of the public, resorted to public show over the matter that should have been treated and resolved internally. This is surely not how to reciprocate the blind trust, respect, honour and confidence reposed on Mr. Samuel Ortom when he joined the party and was made its flag bearer within 24 hours after coming a distant third (3rd position) in the then PDP primaries”.
.new telegraph
