…Blames Suspended Leadership for the Party’s Challenges

The immediate past Governor of Benue State, Chief Samuel Ortom, expresses deep concern over the latest developments in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which culminated in the suspension of the National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, and five members of the National Working Committee of the party.
In a statement Sunday, through his Media Adviser, Terver Akase, declared that
Chief Ortom, attributes the crisis to what he describes as a lack of cohesion in the management of the party’s internal affairs by its leadership.

He recalls that he had previously met with the party’s leaders and offered constructive advice on how to resolve the disagreements in a manner that would have produced a win-win situation for all stakeholders, but regrets that his counsel was ignored with impunity.

According to the statement the former Governor, the PDP leadership had the opportunity to rise above personal interests and unite the party but failed in its responsibility. He states that democracy is fundamentally about 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. It is, therefore, the responsibility of leaders to harmonize differing opinions and create a sense of belonging among members. 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,” Chief Ortom notes.

The PDP Board member expresses optimism that the party would overcome its current challenges, recalling that PDP had survived many storms in the past and had always emerged stronger whenever it embraced fairness, dialogue, and inclusiveness.

Chief Ortom congratulates the newly appointed Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Mohammed Abdulrahman, on his emergence, describing it as a fresh opportunity for the party to heal and rebuild internal trust.

The former Benue Governor urges Hon. Abdulrahman and his team to urgently liaise with the Board of Trustees and other organs of the party to initiate genuine reconciliation efforts that would give every member a sense of belonging and renew confidence in the party’s leadership.

Chief Ortom further calls on the new leadership to promote inclusiveness, dialogue, and respect for all stakeholders, reminding them that no individual can succeed in isolation. He emphasizes that the PDP’s strength lies in its diversity, collective wisdom, and democratic culture.

He also appeals to all members of the party, to unite behind the new leadership and recommit themselves to the ideals and values of the PDP.

His Excellency Ortom reminds party members that, as Nigeria’s main opposition party, the PDP has a duty to offer credible alternatives, hold the government accountable, and defend the principles of democracy and good governance.

By: Fabian Apechihin

U.S. President Donald J. Trump has warned that the United States could halt all aid to Nigeria and has ordered the Pentagon to prepare for possible military action if the Nigerian government does not stop what he described as the killing of Christians in the country.

Posting on his Truth Social account, Trump said the U.S. may go into Nigeria “guns-a-blazing” to “wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” and asked congressional figures to investigate the matter and report back to him. He also announced that he had placed Nigeria on a watch list as a “Country of Particular Concern” for religious-freedom violations.

Nigeria’s federal government has rejected the claims, saying the allegations “do not reflect the situation on the ground” and stressing that Nigerians of all faiths live and worship together. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Nigeria remains committed to fighting terrorism and protecting the rights of all citizens, and that it will engage Washington to clarify regional dynamics and the country’s security efforts.

The president’s statement has already drawn international attention and media coverage, and follows recent calls by some U.S. lawmakers and advocacy groups expressing concern about attacks on religious communities in parts of Nigeria. Nigerian officials, including the Minister of Information, have repeatedly argued that violent actors in the country target people across faiths and that available data do not support claims of targeted, state-enabled “genocide.”

This is a developing story; major news agencies—including Reuters, AP, Al Jazeera, and others—are reporting on the exchange between Washington and Abuja.

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…hails former chairman Garba on impactful tenure

Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

The Vice Chancellor of the University of ilorin, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, has congratulated members of the newly elected Executive Committee of the Correspondents’ Chapel of Kwara State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), led by Mr Biola Azeez, the State Editor of the Nigerian Tribune newspapers.

In a congratulatory message to the new NUJ leaders, Prof. Egbewole also lauded the immediate past Chairman, Mr Abdulhakeem Garba of Channels Television for successfully handing over to a successor.

A statement made available to news men in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, on Saturday by the University’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr Kunle Akogun, expressed the Vice Chancellor’s delight over the outcome of the election, saying that the peaceful conduct of the election and the absence of any rancour in its aftermath have shown the Correspondents’ Chapel as truly the flagship crop of journalists in Kwara State.

Prof. Egbewole also said that this development has further raised the public rating of the Correspondents’ Chapel, whose members constitute the crux of the membership of the elite UNILORIN Accredited Press Corps (UAPC).

While wishing the new exco members a successful and impactful tenure of office, the Vice Chancellor expressed the hope that the new NUJ officials would carry every member of the Union along to justify the confidence reposed in them.

End