Governor Samuel Ortom

Richard Elesho

Members of the All Progressive Congress, APC in Oturpko, Benue State were treated to a dramatic display on Wednesday when they received about 1000 decampees from the People’s Democratic Party, PDP into their rank.

Leader of the group and an aspirant for the position of councilor,  Mr. Jasper Inalegwu stunned his fellow party supporters when he burnt the nomination form he earlier purchased from his former party, the PDP.

Deputy Governor of the State, Engineer Benson Abouru received the new members and promised that the party will provide them with a level playing ground to ventilate their political views and ambitions..

After his display,  Inalegwu said he had been in darkness, but now he had seen the light. He therefore apologized to his new party: “On behalf of myself and my people from Ewulo ward, let me apologize for the steps we had taken in the past for not supporting APC from the beginning. With the development of things in our country today and with happenings within our immediate environment, we have realized our folly and decided to retrace our steps.”
.
Receiving the decampees, the deputy governor, Engineer Abounu commended them for “taking the right step at the right time,” adding, ‘it is good that you have seen the light and decided to leave the sinking ship’.

“APC is a party that respects the rule of law, it abhors injustice and discrimination, those things that are common place in PDP, let me assure you that your dreams and aspirations are better secured in APC”.

But in a swift reaction, the PDP said the alleged decampees were not known to the party. State Chairman of the, Hon. John Ngbede questioned the membership of those who decamped to APC, saying, ‘we do not know them as members of PDP.’

Benue South Senatorial district including Oturkpo since the return of democracy in 1999 has remained a stronghold of PDP in the state.

The party asserted its hold on the district during February 20, 2016 re run senatorial election when PDP candidate, Senator David Mark defeated the APC candidate.