Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom on Thursday made a dramatic u-turn saying he was still a card carrying member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and still flies the party flag.
The governor who spoke when he met the National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole said what he told the world was that he was issued a red card by former governor of the state, Senator George Akume, adding that the party had informed him that nobody has the right to issue him any red card.
The Governor has announced earlier in the week that he was quoting the APC as a result of the red card issued to him by the party.
He said “I was given a red card by Senator Akume, but the leadership of the party told me that the decision of the party leadership at the national level is superior to any individual and I think that is good enough.
“We have spoken to him, he has spoken to me, stakeholders are going to be spoken to and that is where I belong. We have not concluded the matter, it is an ongoing process because I have always stood for peace and I always want peace to prevail.
“I appreciate the intervention and I hope that we would be able to resolve the matter of differences and this is the funny thing about politics. I am here in APC, a member of APC, am still flying the flag of APC and I only said I was given red card and that has been corrected by the National Chairman.
Speaking while receiving the Governor, National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole said the party does not have any red card in its cupboard and would therefore not be issuing any to its members.
Oshiomhole said the party was doing everything possible to ensure that the crisis between the governor and senator Akume is resolved in the interest of the party and the state.
He said: “I have assured, as the National Chairman that APC does not have a red card in our cupboard. So, we can’t give what we don’t have and we recognized that in several states, there could be legitimate legal issues, there could be agreement, disagreement, some contestations and this we are familiar with.
“These are the evidence of the fact that we are a free Democratic Party and when leaders have disagreements, our responsibility is to help them to find common ground and the issues in Benue are not so fundamental that we cannot resolve.
“We are confident that we would resolve them and Senator Akume is a very respected leader of the party and a former governor. He will recognize the need for peace and we have what it takes to make peace.
“In Benue, we are going for a Win Win solution. Governor Ortom is not going anywhere, he is a very prominent member of our party, we appreciate his leadership in Benue and we will do everything possible to help those who have issues to have those issues resolved.
“People like Ortom who have honor cannot leave PDP just three and a half years ago with his eyes open and then later there are some tensions in his master bedroom and is thinking of returning to deceiving people. That cannot be an option. He is a man of honor and he knows that one should look for one step if you want to take the second step to concentrate the first step, that’s the way to go.
“Be assured that PDP can go and do whatever they do. It won’t change the mind of those who are convinced about building the future. It would not be without contestantation, it will be based on the understanding that we can have contestation, but we have the qualities required to resolve issues.”