Following the yesterday’s defection of Mr. Terwase Orbunde, the immediate past Chief of Staff to Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state, to the All Progressives Congress, APC, his kinsmen and stakeholders from Kwande Local Government Area, LGA, have dissociated themselves from his decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the APC.

It would be recalled that the former Chief of Staff was one among the many governorship aspirants on the platform of the PDP from Kwande who lost out due to the zoning arrangement, which favoured Vandeikya LGA of the state.

He however defected to the APC when the decision of his party did not favour him.

But his kinsmen in a meeting with Governor Samuel Ortom, Wednesday in Makurdi, unanimously aligned with the zoning arrangement of the PDP and distanced themselves from the decision of the former Chief of Staff to detect to the APC.

Speakinh at the meeting, Elder Atsaga Anemba and Prof. Nicholas Ada in separate remarks said the decision of the party to zone the Governorship seat out of Kwande was “fair and transparent” and the people in the area “remain committed to the decision.”

The Chairman of the party in Mbaketsa Council Ward, Hon. Tersoo Ukaa assured the governor that “No member of the party in the ward has decamped with anyone. We remain committed to the decision of the party leaders on the outcome of the zoning for the governorship seat.”

The member representing, Kwande/ Ushongo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr. Bob Tyough said the people of Kwande had accepted wholeheartedly the decision of the party to zone the seat to Vandeikya and would stand with the Governor as the leader of the party.

On his part, Mr. Bem Dzoho who spoke on behalf of Government appointees in the area stated that based on what Governor Ortom had done for them in terms of appointments, the people of Kwande had resolved to stick to the wisdom of the party leadership at all times.

Two governorship aspirants, Dr. Paul Ubwa and Mr. Adikpo Agbatse in their separate comments said they had no problem with the decision of the party and had resolved to work for the Speaker of the State Assembly, Titus Uba who was picked, to win the election.

lso speaking, John Jebe who spoke on behalf of the youths, assured that the youths would mobilize and vote the PDP in the next election more than they did in the previous elections.

Responding, Governor Samuel Ortom thanked the Kwande stakeholders for standing with the decision of the party but expressed displeasure over the decision of some of the aspirants who actively participated in the zoning arrangement but later turned back to discredit it.

He said “such people are not worthy to be trusted with leadership since they cannot stick to a simple resolution” insisting that the process, which led to the zoning and emergence of Mr. Uba as the consensus candidate was transparent. (Vanguard)