By Channels Television .
Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has announced his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).The governor made the announcement during a meeting with elected local government chairmen and councillors on Wednesday at the Government House Makurdi, hours after protesting youths barred him from traveling to Abuja to attend the APC reconciliation meeting.
The announcement brings to an end months of speculation that the governor will return to the PDP as a result of his disagreement with leaders of the APC in Benue and at the national level.
His defection follows major political decisions in the state over the last three weeks, all of which had fuelled the speculations of his exit.
The governor recently sacked over 80 percent of his cabinet members and, on Tuesday, the Benue House of Assembly impeached Mr. Terkimbi Ikyange as its Speaker.
Earlier, Benue youths in their numbers on Wednesday blocked the Government House, preventing the State Governor, Samuel Ortom, from travelling to attend the APC reconciliation meeting in Abuja.
Governor Ortom is scheduled to meet with the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole and some other party members.
The youths are asking the governor to resign his membership from the APC.
Leader of the protesting youths, Dave Ogbole, dared the governor to crush them and embark on his trip.
Mr. Ogbole said, “If the governor insists on travelling to Abuja for the APC meeting, he will risk losing the support of the people”.
Despite the governors’ plea to allow him attend the meeting as agreed by party members in the state, the youths stood their grounds until the governor’s convoy made a U-turn.
The youths have however continued to stay guard to ensure the governor does not travel
The announcement brings to an end months of speculation that the governor will return to the PDP as a result of his disagreement with leaders of the APC in Benue and at the national level.
His defection follows major political decisions in the state over the last three weeks, all of which had fuelled the speculations of his exit.
The governor recently sacked over 80 percent of his cabinet members and, on Tuesday, the Benue House of Assembly impeached Mr. Terkimbi Ikyange as its Speaker.
Earlier, Benue youths in their numbers on Wednesday blocked the Government House, preventing the State Governor, Samuel Ortom, from travelling to attend the APC reconciliation meeting in Abuja.
Governor Ortom is scheduled to meet with the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole and some other party members.
The youths are asking the governor to resign his membership from the APC.
Leader of the protesting youths, Dave Ogbole, dared the governor to crush them and embark on his trip.
Mr. Ogbole said, “If the governor insists on travelling to Abuja for the APC meeting, he will risk losing the support of the people”.
Despite the governors’ plea to allow him attend the meeting as agreed by party members in the state, the youths stood their grounds until the governor’s convoy made a U-turn.
The youths have however continued to stay guard to ensure the governor does not travel