2023: Fresh crisis looms in PDP as party chairman, Ayu, Ortom clash over consensus candidates

 

As the preparations for the 2023 general elections reach top gear and contests for different elective public offices become frenzied, there are indications that all is not well in Benue state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with the likelihood of things spiraling into a crisis that could affect the party’s chances of retaining the state next year.

The brewing crisis stems from the inability of the state governor Samuel Ortom and PDP national chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, to agree on consensus candidate for certain positions.

This development could have an undesirable effect on Ortom’s position as leader of the party in the state  and his chances of winning a senatorial election in 2023.

According to reports, Ayu is seeking to dump the governor and allot the senatorial ticket to an aspirant of his choosing.

Ortom played a crucial role in Ayu’s emergence as PDP’s chairman.

Daily Trust reports that the trio of Ayu, Ortom and a former governor of the state and now senator, Gabriel Suswam, have anointed candidates for the governorship and National Assembly seats, especially in zones A and B.

The state’s gubernatorial position had earlier been zoned to Jechira Federal Constituency and micro-zoned to Vandeikya LGA, The media outlet reports.

However,  when the three political gladiators met on March 31, 2022 to agree on who the governorship candidate Ayu, a former senate president and three-time minister, and Gov Ortom clashed.

The meeting ended in a deadlock because Ayu insisted on handing the ticket to Rt Hon Titus Uba, the speaker of the house of assembly, while Ortom had his eyes on another aspirant, a source said

Ortom loyalists fear that if Ayu has his way in  installing Uba as governor with his position as national chairman, Ortom would no longer be in the reckoning and will be demoted to the background in the scheme of things in the state.

It was also learnt that while Senator Suswam backed Ortom as the leader of the party in he state to choose the 2023 governorship candidate but Ayu stood his ground.

“In my opinion, the zoning was rightly done in favour of Vandekiya, but the problem is the crisis that is brewing from it.

“While most of us will prefer Ityavyar, the governor’s choice, Ayu wants to force Uba on us. But Ayu can’t be the decider for the party in the state; he would be tearing the party apart if he insists.” Daily trust quoted the source as saying.