Suspended PDP leaders responsible for party’s woes – Ortom

…congratulates new acting National Chairman, Abdulrahman

By Peter Duru, Makurdi

Former Governor of Benue State, Chief Samuel Ortom, has expressed deep concern over the recent developments in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which led to the suspension of the National Chairman, Amb Umar Damagum, and five members of the party’s National Working Committee.

Recall that the PDP descended into what looked like a full-scale leadership crisis following the issuance of rival suspension notices within its National Working Committee (NWC) on Saturday.

Trouble began after an emergency NWC meeting in Abuja, during which one faction announced the suspension of four national officers.

However, in a swift counter-move, the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, convened a separate briefing hours later, declaring the suspension of the National Chairman, Ambassador Illiya Damagum, along with five other senior members of the committee.

Reacting to the development, Chief Ortom attributed the crisis to what he described as a lack of cohesion and poor handling of the party’s internal affairs by its suspended leadership.

In statement issued Sunday in Makurdi by his Media Consultant, Terver Akase, the immediate past Benue State Governor recalled that he had previously offered constructive counsel to party leaders on resolving disagreements in a manner that would produce a win-win outcome for all stakeholders, but regretted that his advice was ignored.

According to him, the PDP leadership had an opportunity to rise above personal interests and unite the party, but failed to do so. He stressed that democracy is fundamentally about inclusion and consensus-building, not high-handedness or exclusion.

“Democracy thrives when people of diverse views and interests come together to find common ground for the good of all. It is the responsibility of leaders to harmonize differing opinions and create a sense of belonging among members. Unfortunately, what we have witnessed in recent times is an attempt by a few individuals to run the party without recourse to collective consultation or internal democratic processes,” Ortom said.

The PDP Board member, however, expressed optimism that the party would overcome its current challenges, noting that the PDP had survived many storms in the past and emerged stronger whenever it embraced fairness, dialogue, and inclusiveness.

Chief Ortom congratulated the newly appointed Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Mohammed Abdulrahman, describing his emergence as a fresh opportunity for healing and rebuilding internal trust.

He urged Hon. Abdulrahman and his team to liaise with the Board of Trustees and other party organs to initiate genuine reconciliation efforts that would give every member a sense of belonging and restore confidence in the party’s leadership.

The former governor further called on the new leadership to promote inclusiveness, dialogue, and respect for all stakeholders, pointing out that no individual can succeed in isolation. He emphasized that the PDP’s strength lies in its diversity, collective wisdom, and democratic values.

Ortom appealed to all party members to unite behind the new leadership and recommit to the ideals of the PDP.

He reminded members that, as Nigeria’s main opposition party, the PDP has a duty to offer credible alternatives, hold government accountable, and defend the principles of democracy and good governance.

The post Suspended PDP leaders responsible for party’s woes – Ortom appeared first on Vanguard News.