PDP crisis: Ortom, Tambuwal meet

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Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, on Sunday, met with his Sokoto State counterpart, Aminu Tambuwa in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

The meeting, according to Ortom, was at the instance of the Sokoto State governor.

Ortom said that the arrogance of the leadership of the PDP was responsible for the crisis rocking the party.

PDP has been in a crisis shortly after the presidential primary that produced Alhaji Abubakar Atiku.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and four other governors have been clamouring for the sack of the national chairman of the party.

Ortom said, “This meeting is at his 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 welcome; we are together, we are members of the PDP. But I have said that the leadership 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 as a result of primaries. They have failed to do this.

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

Ortom commended the visit of his counterpart and expressed optimism that the crisis will soon be resolved if the group heeds his advice.

“And we have discussed my opinion on how I think this matter can be resolved. And I believe that as a leader and 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 will. I believe he will do the needful to pull the party together.”

In his own response, Tambuwal said that work is in progress towards resolving the crisis.

He said that a dispute can not be resolved in a group or family, but stated that efforts were on top gear to ensure that the crisis is resolved.

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

“So, it’s a work in progress. 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 election of 2023.”

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