As the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State deepens, the State working committee has summoned the former Governor of Benue state, Senator Gabriel Suswam, Terngu Tsegba, former Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Terseer Tsumba and others over alleged gross misconduct and anti-party activities.
The summoned party members are to appear before the State Working Committee tomorrow (Thursday, August 8) and give reasons why disciplinary action should not be taken against them for gross misconduct and anti-party activities.
A statement signed by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Chief Bemgba Iortyom, and made available to newsmen in Makurdi earlier today (Wednesday, August 7) explained that the action has become necessary following the invasion of the party’s State Secretariat in Makurdi yesterday (Tuesday, August 6) by those they said were thugs and hoodlums led by suspended State Chairman, John Ngbede.
According to a Daily Sun correspondent, the crisis in the state PDP has ripped the party into two factions with one controlled by the immediate past Governor Samuel Ortom and the other controlled by his predecessor, Senator Gabriel Suswam.
The statement also said credible intelligence revealed that those who invaded the secretariat were acting under the sponsorship and support of the Suswam-led faction.
According to the statement, the PDP also made weighty allegations against Senator Suswam, accusing him of acts inimical to the good health and interests of the party.
The acts, according to them, include “diversion of campaign funds during the 2023 elections, sponsoring of factions and thuggery within the party, sponsoring of publication of internal party disputes, sponsoring of court litigations against the party without recourse to the internal dispute resolution mechanisms of the party among several other things.”
The party said the acts they are being accused of “constitute a violation of Section 58 of the Constitution of the PDP (as Amended in 2017), and consequently, in line with provisions of the same Section of the PDP Constitution, he and the following are hereby summoned to appear before the State Working Committee of the party tomorrow, Thursday, 8th August, 2024 at the party’s State Secretariat on No. 1, Ochagwu Lawani Street, New GRA, Makurdi, by 10am.”
The other members also summoned are Hon. Richard Gbande, and Prof Nicholas Ada.
The PDP also summoned chairmen of the party for Apa, Gboko, Gwer East, Katsina-Ala, Konshisha, Logo, Otukpo, Ukum and Tarka local government areas to appear before the State Working Committee on related charges on the same date, venue and time
The party condemned, in strong terms, the invasion of the State Secretariat under the leadership of the suspended State Chairman, John Ngbede describing their meeting as kangaroo and advising those involved to desist from such acts forthwith or risk severe punitive action against them.
While reacting to a press conference addressed by a group named “Concerned Benue PDP Stakeholders”, the party emphasized that it has no such group in its fold and cautioned that those making hate speeches under the nonexistent nomenclature do so in violation of the party’s constitution and will be duly sanctioned should they continue to do so.
The former governor, Sen. Gabriel Suswam could not be reached as at the time of filing this report as his phone was switched off.
Meanwhile, Mr Terngu Tsegba, a one-time House of Representatives member, challenged the state publicity secretary, Chief Bemgba Iortyom and others to make themselves available at the party secretariat on Thursday.
Tsegba who accused Iortyom of impersonation said he has long been suspended by his ward and ratified by the court.
