PDP Crisis Is Product Of Arrogance – Governor Ortom

By Akinwale Kasali

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has disclosed that the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has to do with arrogance.

Ortom, who is part of the G5 also known as the Integrity Group which has in its camp Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State is calling for the resignation of PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.

Meeting with Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who is the Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Council of the party ,Ortom stated  that the meeting was at the instance of his Sokoto counterpart, saying  that arrogance of the Party leadership aggravated the crisis.

He said, “This meeting is at his (Tambuwal) instance. We have discussed quite a number of issues including the division in the PDP; the G-5 which I am a member. He is here principally to see how we can team up and work together as a party.

“I have told him he is welcomed, we are together, we are members of the PDP. But I have said that the leaderdhip of this party has failed to take advantage of the challenges of the party and make it stronger.

“Right from when we held our convention, instead of the leadership deploying its internal dispute resolution mechanism to look at the grievances that arose as a result of the dispute that arose from the primary, no matter how stupid they were, they have failed to do this.

“Rather, it is arrogance, nonchalant attitude; and nobody has cared to reach out to us even when we voiced out that things were not going on well.

“And we have discussed on my opinion on how I think this matter can be resolved. And I believe that as a leader and the DG of the campaign, he would do the needful because I am not alone. Talking to me alone will not solve the problem but reaching out to the others. I believe he will do the needful to pull the party together.”

Tambuwal said that work was in progress towards resolving the crisis.

While stating that dispute was not alien to group or family, Tambuwal stated that efforts were on to ensure that the crisis was resolved.

“Even in our families, we have reasons to disagree and agree, at some other times when you have such disagreement and you come back together, you bond more stronger and wax stronger.

“So, it’s work in progress and we have met several times but we are working to bring everybody together to work for this party. That is the mission of my being here in Makurdi.

“He (Ortom) is a principled person on the issues we are handling and we have had a very strong conversation with him and of course, I will engage with the rest of our colleagues and our leaders to see how best we can come back together as one family and work towards making sure that the PDP come out stronger and win the elections in 2023.”