Senator Melaye called for disciplinary measures against Ortom, whom he openly criticised at the stakeholder meeting in Abuja.
Efforts to reconcile critical stakeholders within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) turned tense on Wednesday, April 17.
During a gathering of stakeholders, Senator Dino Melaye, a party chieftain and its gubernatorial candidate in Kogi State, engaged in a heated exchange of words with Samuel Ortom, the former governor of Benue State.
The confrontation unfolded during the stakeholders' meeting in Abuja, which was held in the opposition party's north-central geopolitical zone on April 17.
During the gathering, Melaye expressed amazement at Ortom's ease in attending a PDP meeting, especially considering his purported involvement in actions against the party.
Melaye highlighted that such actions contributed to the party's losses in both the presidential and gubernatorial elections in Benue state.
PDP vs G-5 governors
Recall that Ortom, along with four other PDP governors known as the G-5, worked against the party in the 2023 polls following a disagreement about the zoning of the party's chairmanship seat, which was occupied by the suspended Senator Iyorchia Ayu, who was from the same region (North) as the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Ortom and his cohort kicked against it and insisted that there was equity and fairness in the party's leadership structure. They suggested that the chairmanship seat should be zoned to the south.
The back-and-forth ignited the rift, and the PDP G-5 governors opted to work for Bola Ahmed Tinubu (APC) and Peter Obi (Labour Party). At the same time, some loyal PDP members, like Senator Melaye, stood firm behind Atiku.
At the meeting, the former called for disciplinary measures against Ortom, whom he openly criticised, triggering a heated exchange of words between the pair.
However, the meeting ended with party leaders resolving that the north-central region should produce the next national chairman of the party.
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PDP caucus extends Damagum's tenure
In another development, Pulse reports that the interim National Chairman of the PDP, Umar Damagum, will remain in his role until a subsequent National Executive Committee (NEC) gathering, following the scheduled one for today, Thursday, April 18, 2024.
The PDP spokesperson, Debo Ologunagba, announced that the party's caucus has decided to reconstitute all reconciliation committees to address grievances affecting the party's unity.
Regarding the party's chairmanship position, Ologunagba stated that the NEC would discuss this matter. Still, the caucus resolved that Damagum would remain chairman until the next NEC meeting, which will follow the current one.
Notable figures attended the meeting, including Nyesom Wike, the former Governor of Rivers State, and Atiku Abubakar, the PDP's 2023 presidential candidate.
There is suspicion that Damagum, the current chairman, is an ally of Wike, who holds the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory position.
Additionally, the caucus directed the party to revisit the Rivers State Caretaker Committee List and seek a political solution to the state's crisis.
This caucus meeting took place shortly before the party's scheduled NEC meeting, which is set to address leadership issues and ratify decisions made by various party organs.
