The Benue PDP Youth Coalition has publicly endorsed former Governor Samuel Ortom, passing a vote of confidence in his leadership amid recent controversies within the party. The youth group, under the banner of “PDP Concerned Youths in Benue State,” came together to express their unwavering support for Ortom, denouncing a purported suspension notice against him as baseless and politically motivated.

The coalition strongly condemned the alleged suspension, which they attributed to a faction within the party led by Dr. Joseph Nyam, the suspended PDP State Secretary. They emphasized that Chief Ortom remains the leader of the PDP in Benue State and that any actions taken by Nyam and his associates are unconstitutional and nullified by their own suspensions.

In their statement, signed by Prince Aondona Isaka, Austine Adanwo, Christabel Saawuan, Anongo Orseer, David Mzer, Blessing Abah, Prince Livinus Tyodoo, Dan Mashin, Jude Akase, and Michael Yangehemen, the youth group also criticized Senator Gabriel Suswam for what they described as anti-party activities, including public support for the APC governor of Benue State while the PDP was still challenging the election results in court. They called for disciplinary action against Suswam, citing his behavior as detrimental to the party’s unity and success.

Despite facing numerous challenges and betrayals, the coalition praised Ortom for his resilience, maturity, and commitment to the PDP. They urged him to remain focused and not be distracted by the actions of those they described as enemies of the party. The youth leaders made it clear that Ortom’s leadership continues to be vital for the party’s future, especially in efforts to reposition the PDP for upcoming electoral victories.

The statement concluded with a call to the public to disregard any rumors of Ortom’s suspension, reinforcing their confidence in his leadership and rejecting any attempts to undermine his role within the party.

Below is the full text

PRESS STATEMENT BY THE COALITION OF PDP YOUTHS IN BENUE STATE IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE LEADER OF THE PARTY IN THE STATE, THE IMMEDIATE PAST GOVERNOR OF THE STATE, HIS EXCELLENCY CHIEF SAMUEL ORTOM TODAY, THURSDAY 8th AUGUST, 2024

Gentlemen of the Press,

We have come together as members of the PDP Concerned Youths in Benue State to make our position known following recent happenings in our party and to pass a vote of confidence on the Leader of our great party in Benue State, His Excellency, Chief Samuel Ortom and to also align completely with the good leadership he is providing for the PDP in Benue.
We particularly use this opportunity to express our dismay over a purported, non-existing suspension notice against our Leader, the immediate past Governor of the state, Chief Samuel Ortom, a script written, sponsored by some unscrupulous elements and acted by the suspended Secretary of the PDP in Benue, Dr. Joseph Nyam.
We state that there would not be a need to waste our precious time and energy to speak on these issues, particularly the childish statement of suspension written by Dr. Nyam, but for the benefit of unsuspecting members of the public, we wish to state thus:
1. That Contrary to claims by Dr. Nyam and his band of desperados, Chief Ortom is not suspended, and he remains the leader of the PDP in Benue State.
2. That Dr. Nyam was at the time of writing that press release, which fell short of due process to suspend a member from the party, who was already validly suspended from holding his position as State Secretary of PDP.
3. That there is no provision in the constitution of the PDP which allows an individual to suspend a member of the party in such an arbitrary manner.
4. That Sir John Ngbede, Dr. Joseph Nyam and Moses Audu as State Chairman, State Secretary and State Organizing Secretary of the PDP in Benue were validly suspended from office by 9 out of 13 members of the State Working Committee members of the party constituting more than two thirds majority in line with the provisions of the party’s constitution. So any action taken by the trio after their suspension is a unconstitutional, null and void.
We also wish to pass a vote of no confidence and condemn in totality the anti-party activities, comments, actions and inaction of Senator Gabriel Suswam, a stakeholder of the party.
You will all agree with us that at the burial of prominent PDP chieftain in Ushongo, late Chief Akua Aper Aku in July, 2023, Senator Suswam declared publicly that Benue people should support Governor Alia of APC, noting that Alia’s victory was divine and for the good of Benue State. This was while his party and its governorship candidate, Rt. Hon. Titus Uba were still in court challenging the declaration of Alia as Governor of Benue State. To us, this statement is the height of anti-party conduct.
Suswam on several occasions during and after the PDP case against Governor Alia is seen frolicking and hobnobbing with the governor and publicly showering encomiums on the governor not minding the feelings of members of his party this is in addition to the allegations of diversion of huge amount of 2023 campaign funds under his care and we call on the PDP disciplinary committee not to allow these allegations to be swept under the carpet but to overhaul the actions of Senator Suswam and take appropriate disciplinary actions to serve as deterrent to others.
It is pertinent at this juncture to commend Chief Ortom for his maturity, steadfastness, benevolence, humility, discipline and love for the PDP despite several cases of betrayer he has faced from some stakeholders of the party.
If there is anybody who should be accused of destroying the PDP over the years in Benue, that person should be Senator Suswam.
In 2014 Suwam openly told members of the PDP and his supporters that he did not know who will be Governor of Benue after him but he knows Samuel Ortom who was the most popular candidate in the 2015 governorship election as the one who will never ever be the Governor. Unfortunately, the man he saw as the one who will not be Governor was overwhelmingly voted by Benue people to become the Governor in 2015. Suswam scuttled the chances of PDP producing a Governor in 2015.
Ortom in his benevolence and love for PDP left APC in July, 2018 and returned to PDP. Ortom’s return was the main reason Suswam won the 2019 Senatorial election to represent Benue North-East Senatorial district but after his election, Suswam started playing hanky panky again.
On the eve of the Governorship election in 2019, Suswam shocked everybody, he passed a message that his supporters should vote for Emmanuel Jime the APC governorship candidate in 2019 and switched-off all his phones. Again, God showed his might and Ortom was overwhelmingly voted for a second term.
In 2023, Suswam and his cronies in PDP worked against Ortom’s Senatorial ambition but the same man turned around to accuse Chief Ortom of making him lose his Senatorial seat even though most of his supporters could not even deliver their polling units to him. Whether Chief Ortom was the reason they could not deliver their polling units may be a story for another day.
Despite suffering all these betrayers, our Leader, Chief Ortom has remained resolute to unite with Suswam and other leaders of the party to reposition the PDP for future victories.
It is rare to have leaders with such a large heart and forgiving spirit and we wish to proudly appreciate Chief Ortom for exuding such qualities. Those who are not satisfied with Ortom’s leadership are the real enemies and people who do not mean well for the party.
We call on members of the public who may not be vast with the structure, organization and constition of political parties to disregard the news of the suspension of chief Ortom from the PDP. That is not how one is suspended from a political party. The rule and procedure cannot change overnight to satisfy a group that is out to undermine its leader.
Finally, we equally pass a vote of confidence on the leadership of Chief Ortom and urge him not to be distracted by the divisive tendencies and desperate moves of enemies of the party masquerading as stakeholders under a fictitious group (Concerned PDP Stakeholders). We are not oblivious of their sponsors. We know their motives and antics, but we know for sure that they will fail woefully.
Thank you all, and may God bless.