Samuel Ortom, the governor of Benue State, has announced his defection from All Progressives Congress, APC, to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The governor reportedly made the announcement at a meeting with elected local government chairmen and councillors on Wednesday, July 25, 2018, at the Government House Makurdi, hours after protesting youths barred him from traveling to Abuja to attend the APC reconciliation meeting.
Terver Akase, a spokesperson of Governor Ortom, confirmed the news to an online newspaper, Premium Times.
“Yes, he has defected from APC to PDP,” Mr Akase is quoted as saying on the phone.
“He now believes that his aspiration and the plight of Benue people would be better realised in the PDP than the APC.”
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 party in Benue and at the national level.
His defection follows major political decisions in the state over the last three weeks.
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.
