Nigerian Concord Newspaper
Addressing an expanded caucus meeting of the Benue State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP at its Secretariat in Makurdi on Monday, former governor Samuel Ortom PhD urged members of the party to prioritise collective interests over personal ambitions.
The forner governor also warned the party’s members in the state to desist from rumour-mongering that tends to create acrimony within the ranks of the party in Benue State.
While cautioning against leaving any member behind in the scheme of things, Chief Ortom PhD emphasised the importance of unity within the party, stressing that the party’s strength lies in its cohesion.
He stressed that the emergence of party leaders in the forthcoming PDP State Congresses should be a democratic decision made collectively for peace and cooperation to be sustained after the election.
According to him, the party leadership has initiated internal conflict resolution mechanisms to address disputes in the party.
In his remarks, the immediate past senator representing Benue North East, Gabriel Suswam PhD, decried some rumours circulating within the party that he and Chief Ortom are at loggerhead.
He also warned those using his ambition to be national chairman of the party to cause rift within the party to stop it, saying that he won’t allow selfish interest to prevail over the collective interest of the party.
His words: “These rumours were driven by selfish interests and the party’s leadership had met to address such rumours.
“Let me caution those using my aspiration for the national chairmanship of the party to cause conflict to stop. I will never welcome those who are bent on creating friction among the PDP leaders in the state,”
Senator Suswam urged party members not to fight amongst themselves but to focus on winning elections in the state and beyond.
Also speaking, the Senator representing Benue South Senatorial District, Abba Moro, echoed Ortom’s sentiments, emphasising that despite being in opposition, unity remained crucial for the development of the party in the state.
Senator Moro cautioned against individual ambitions that could fracture the party’s unity ahead of the forthcoming congresses in the state, urging members to choose the best candidates that could lead effectively and deliver victory for the party during elections.
In his owi speech, the Member representing Apa/Agatu Federal Constituency and Chairman, House Standing Committee on National Inland Waterways, Hon. Pst Ojotu Ojema fesmi, has charged leaders and members of the People Democratic Party (PDP), Benue State Chapter to unite in order to overcome all the challenges the party is passing through in the state.
He said: “God always puts strong people on trial in order to test their faith. The challenges our party is experiencing today is for us to juxtapose the faithful and faithless members. Therefore, without trial, the faithful and committed members can not be known. I believe that by God’s grace, we shall overcome our challenges ”
Backing Ortom’s call for peace within the PDP, the Apa/Agatu Federal Lawmaker called on the party’s leadership to provide an equal playing ground for everybody so that a child of nobody who wants to aspire for any position in the forthcoming State, Local and Ward Congresses can be allowed to exercise his right.