Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has announced his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The governor made the announcement during a meeting with elected local government chairmen and councillorson Wednesday at the Government House Makurdi, hours after protesting youths barred him from traveling to Abuja to attend the APC reconciliation meeting.

The announcement brings to an end months of speculation that the governor will return to the PDP as a result of hisdisagreement with leaders of the APC in Benue and at the national level.

His defection follows major political decisions in the state over the last three weeks, all of which had fuelled the speculations of his exit.

The governor recently sacked over 80 percent of his cabinet members and, on Tuesday, the Benue House of Assembly impeached Mr.Terkimbi Ikyange as its Speaker. (Channels TV)