Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom has denied dumping Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike in his fight to sack the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.

Ortom said: “I remain on the side of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike over the injustices meted out to him by the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”
“I just came back from London with Wike this morning; we are friends and I still maintain my stand on what I said. I haven’t moved from there.”

“However, I cannot work against the PDP and I will support every candidate running on the party ticket.”

“It does not mean I am not aggrieved, Wike is aggrieved and I am aggrieved too.”

“PDP leadership has not been fair to Wike based on activities that took place during and after the national convention.”

“We have not been able to deploy adequately the internal conflict mechanism to resolve those issues and this is all I have been saying.”

“I have not moved away from there, that I still sympathise with Wike on the injustice meted on him. Politics is about interest and where your interest is not protected, you have a right to protest, and I think that is what is happening.”

“I sympathise with him and still stand with him that let the leadership of the party at the national level do the same thing.”

“In politics nothing can be late, no matter how difficult it may seem if everybody brings down himself to the level of getting others who are aggrieved.”

“And to say that some of us are happy with the injustice that have been meted, we remain committed to PDP and I feel that the right thing should be done to put us together.”

“The Board of Trustee (BOT) Chairman, Adolphus Wabara was in the state a few days ago.”

“We deliberated on the matter, they sought my opinion first to know what my thinking was about the crisis. I told them the truth as far as I am concerned and they took it with passion and also asked me for recommendations which I gave.”

“That was all that was done and I hope that they will do justice to it so that our party will take over power in 2023.”

“From bottom to top we are good to go, as far as our party is concerned. I am working for our candidates.”

Be that as it may, this was the statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur recently…

“Governor Ortom he has confidence in Ayu’s ability to lead PDP to victory in next year’s general election.”

“The Governor worked tirelessly, alongside other prominent Benue citizens, to ensure that Ayu was elected as the national chairman of our great party even against all odds.”

“The governor could not, therefore, turn around to work against him to be removed from office.”

“Governor Ortom vouched for the integrity and capacity of Dr Iyorchia Ayu to lead and rebuild the PDP to victory and rescue Nigeria from the misrule of the APC maladministration.”

“That is why Ayu was returned unopposed by the northern caucus of the party and got elected as the national chairman of the PDP at the party’s convention.”

“Where was Jemgbagh Development Association, when Governor Ortom galvanised support from across the leaders of the party to make Dr. Ayu PDP’s National Chairman?”

“What was their contribution to that project that they now want to use a clannish stance to blackmail the governor?”

“This amorphous and emergency Jemgbagh Development Association, Abuja, which has never been heard of before, is now masquerading as the voice of Jemgbagh to embark on campaign of calumny against Governor Ortom, who has worked selflessly for the people of Benue State.”

“Governor Ortom is more Jemgbagh than most of the people claiming it now. This is fact, because he has done more for Jemgbagh, both in terms of appointments and projects executed as well as patronage in the area, than even one of the Jemgbagh sons, who was governor.”

“Besides, Governor Ortom has consistently worked for the unity of Benue State and will never stand in the way of any of her citizens, either here in the state or in the diaspora.”

“For those, who claimed to be leaders of this Jemgbagh Development Association, Abuja, we urge them to be truly developmental in their drive to build cohesion among the people and attract real development to their area rather than engaging in mischief or blackmail.”