2023 Election: Gov Ortom Unveils PDP Guber Aspirants

The Peoples Democratic Party in Benue State on Sunday, June 13 received into its camp new members who just decamped from the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Naija News reports that the state governor, Samuel Ortom while receiving the new members at the JS Tarka Institute of Political Studies Gboko, unveiled some gubernatorial aspirants on the platform of the Umbrella camp ahead of the 2023 elections.

The defectors, Mr Joseph Kaaba, Francis Kwaghgba and their teeming supporters from the APC camp were introduced and given a warm welcome into the state ruling party. While urging the State PDP Chairman, Sir John Ngbede to convene a meeting with all guber aspirants, the Governor advised the aspirants to work as a team considering the fact that only one person would occupy the seat of Governor in 2023.

Ortom promised to work closely with the state working committee of the PDP and other stakeholders to produce a consensus governorship candidate but where it fails, the decision would be made at the party primary election which he emphasized would be free and fair.

The Governor introduced the Guber aspirants as they stepped forward namely: Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Titus Uba, Dr Paul Ubwa, Engineer Dondu Ahire, Dr Robert Orya, Mr Terver Akase and Professor Dennis Ityavyar in that order.

Governor Ortom while addressing PDP faithful in the state, noted that there were more PDP guber aspirants who were unavoidably absent at the decamping. He assured those defecting from APC into the PDP of equal opportunities and internal democracy, expressing optimism that the party would regain power at the national level in 2023.

Speaking during the event, the state chairman of PDP, Sir John Ngbede described the APC as a sinking ship and urged the good people of Benue to join the PDP which has a listening leader in the Governor and internal democracy, while Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Titus Uba pledged the support of the legislature to the Ortom-led administration.

Chairman of the defection ceremony, Chief Terngu Tsegba, Prince Yandev Amaabai and the Executive Chairman of Gboko Local Government Council, Hon James Kachina, acknowledged the people-oriented projects executed in Gboko by the Ortom administration, saying the people had justification to remain in PDP.

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Mr Joseph Kaaba said they are happy with the good works of the Governor and decided to join forces with him and other PDP faithful to provide dividends of democracy to the people.

Wife of the Governor and First Lady of Benue State, Dr Eunice Ortom also attended the defection ceremony.