From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
As the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State deepens, the state working committee has summoned the former Governor of Benue State, Senator Gabriel Suswam; former speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Terngu Tsegba; Terseer Tsumba and others over alleged gross misconduct and anti party activities.
The summoned party members are to appear before the state working committee today, August 8, 2024, and give reasons disciplinary action should not be taken against them for gross misconduct and anti party activities.
A statement by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Chief Bemgba Iortyom, and made available to newsmen in Makurdi yesterday, explained that the action has become necessary following the invasion of the party’s secretariat in Makurdi on Tuesday by suspected thugs and hoodlums led by the suspended state chairman, John Ngbede.
It was gathered that the crisis in the state PDP has divided the party into two factions, with one being controlled by the immediate past Governor Samuel Ortom, and the other being controlled by his predecessor, Suswam.
The statement also said credible intelligence revealed that those who invaded the secretariat were acting under the sponsorship and support of the Suswam led group.
According to the statement, the PDP also made weighty allegations against Suswam, accusing him of acts inimical to the good health and interests of the party.
The acts according to them include diversion of campaign funds during the 2023 elections, sponsoring of factions and thuggery within the party, sponsoring of publication of internal party disputes, and sponsoring of court litigations against the party without recourse to the internal dispute resolution mechanisms of the party among several other things.
The party said the acts they were being accused of constitute a violation of Section 58 of the Constitution of the PDP (as Amended in 2017), and consequently, in line with provisions of the same section of the PDP constitution, he and others were summoned to appear before the state working committee of the party today, Thursday, August 8, 2024, at the party’s secretariat located on No 1, Ochagwu Lawani Street, New GRA, Makurdi, by 10am. The other members also summoned were Richard Gbande, and Prof Nicholas Ada.
The PDP also summoned the chairmen of the party for Apa, Gboko, Gwer East, Katsina-Ala, Konshisha, Logo, Otukpo, Ukum and Tarka local government areas to appear before the state working committee on related charges on the same date, venue and time.
The party condemned the invasion of the secretariat under the leadership of the suspended state chairman, Ngbede, describing their meeting as kangaroo and advising those involved to desist from such acts forthwith or risk severe punitive action against them.
While reacting to a press conference by a group, ‘Concerned Benue PDP Stakeholders,’ the party emphasised that it has no such group in its fold and cautioned that those making hate speeches under the nonexistent nomenclature do so in violation of the party’s constitution and would be duly sanctioned should they continue to do so.
Former Governor Suswam could not be reached as at the time of filing this report as his phone was switched off.
Meanwhile, Tsegba, a one time House of Representatives member, challenged the state publicity secretary, Chief Iortyom and others to make themselves available at the party’s secretariat today.
Tsegba, who accused Iortyom of impersonation, said he had long been suspended by his ward and ratified by the court.