Former Governor of Benue State, Chief Samuel Ortom, has congratulated the newly appointed Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mohammed Abdulrahman, describing his emergence as a fresh opportunity for the party to heal, rebuild trust, and restore internal cohesion.
In a statement issued on Sunday by his Media Adviser, Terver Akase, Chief Ortom urged the new PDP leadership to immediately engage with the Board of Trustees and other critical organs of the party to initiate genuine reconciliation efforts that would give all members a sense of belonging and renew confidence in the leadership.
He charged Hon. Abdulrahman and his team to promote inclusiveness, dialogue, and respect for all stakeholders, stressing that the PDP’s strength lies in its diversity, collective wisdom, and democratic culture.
“No individual can succeed in isolation,” Ortom said, urging all party members to unite behind the new leadership and recommit themselves to the ideals and values of the PDP.
The former governor, however, expressed deep concern over the recent developments in the party, which culminated in the suspension of the National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, and five members of the National Working Committee (NWC).
Ortom attributed the crisis to what he described as a lack of cohesion and poor management of the party’s internal affairs, recalling that he had previously met with PDP leaders and offered constructive advice on how to resolve internal disagreements amicably but regretted that his counsel was ignored.
According to him, the party leadership missed the opportunity to rise above personal interests and unite the party. He emphasized that democracy thrives on inclusion and consensus-building, not high-handedness or exclusion.
“Democracy thrives when people of diverse views and interests come together to find common ground for the good of all.
“Unfortunately, what we have witnessed in recent times is an attempt by a few individuals to run the party without recourse to collective consultation or internal democratic processes,” Ortom stated.
Despite the current challenges, the PDP Board of Trustees member expressed optimism that the party would overcome its present crisis, recalling that it had survived many storms in the past whenever it embraced fairness, dialogue, and inclusiveness.
He reaffirmed his belief that with sincerity of purpose and collective effort, the PDP could emerge stronger and more united to fulfill its role as Nigeria’s leading opposition party.
Ortom reminded members that the PDP has a duty to offer credible alternatives, hold the government accountable, and defend the principles of democracy and good governance
