Benue: Court Halts PDP Congresses, NWC Takes Over Party Amid Ortom, Suswam Tussle

The power play in the Benue State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) culminated yesterday in a State High Court ruling stopping the local government congresses scheduled to hold in the state.

The Court sitting in Gboko, Benue State, restrained the party from conducting the August 10, 2024 congress in six local governments.

The restraining order was signed by Justice J. M. Ayua in a motion exparte brought by  the applicants namely, Senator Orker Jev, Terseer Tsumba, Aondoyina Grace, Tergun Tsegba and 13 others.

The ruling is a fallout of the simmering power tussle between camps loyal to former governor Senator Gabriel Suswam and his successor, Samuel Ortom, which came to the fore after  the recent ward congresses which led to  purported suspension of the state chairman, state secretary, and organising secretary by members loyal to Ortom.

The Suswam and Ortom have been locked in the tussle for the party’s structure in the state which got to a head with declarations of counter suspensions by their camps on both of them.

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While the tussle lasts, the PDP national leadership, yesterday, declared it will take over the party’s administration in the state following the expiration of the tenure of the Mr John Ngbede-led state working committee.

The national party’s resolution to constitute a caretaker committee was contained in a letter signed by its national organising secretary, Umar Bature, and addressed to Ngbede, who has confirmed receipt of the letter to our correspondent.

Suswam, who intends to be PDP national chairman, was yesterday purportedly suspended by the rival camp, alongside Terngu Tsegba, Richard Gbande, Terseer Tsumba and Professor Nicholas Ada from the party for gross insubordination.

Also suspended by the camp are the chairmen of the party for, Apa, Gboko, Gwer-East, Katsina-Ala, Konshisha, Logo, Otukpo and Ukum Local government areas.

Justifying Suswam’s suspension, a statement by spokesman of Ortom’s camp, Hon Bemgba Iortyom, said he and his loyalists were summoned the affected persons on August 7, 2024, to appear before SWC “to answer to allegations made against them bothering on acts inimical to the good health and interests of the party, including 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 litigations against the party without recourse to the internal dispute resolution mechanisms, among several other things.”

Iortyom said Suswam was particularly accused of being APC’s Governor Hyacinth Alia spokesperson even when the PDP governorship candidate, Engr. Titus Uba, was still in court challenging the outcome of the election. He said Suswam drummed support for the governor at public functions, with specific reference to his speech at the burial of late Akua Aper Aku.

Recall that the Ngbede camp had suspended Ortom, the Deputy Chairman, Mr Isaac Mffo, and the Publicity Secretary, Mr Bemgba Iortyom

Ngbede was, in turn, declared suspended, alongside two members of his State Working Committee for alleged forgery and impersonation to achieve personal aims.

Others affected by the suspension are the State Secretary, Joseph Nyam and State Organizing Secretary, Moses Audu.