LESSEL – Gov. Gabriel Suswam of Benue State on Saturday urged the Tiv in other political parties to return to the ruling People Democratic Party (PDP).
Suswam made the call in Lessel at a rally to received former All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart in the state, Sen. David Iornem and others in the PDP fold.
Suswam, who commended Iornem for the decision to dump the APC, said his departure from the party signaled the end of opposition parties in the state.
He described Iornem as “a great strategist who churned out strategies that put the PDP on its toes in the state”.
Suswam said the PDP would utilise its wealth of experience to achieve overwhelming success in the 2015 general elections.
He stressed the need for other Tiv who are still in other parties to return to the PDP to consolidate the electoral gains of the party in 2015.
Suswam assured those that decamped to the PDP of equal opportunities in the party and urged them to work for the success of the party in the forthcoming elections.
He also assured those seeking nominations on the platform of the party of a level playing ground, saying: “I have no anointed candidate.”
Also speaking, the Chairman of the party in the state, Dr Emmanuel Agbo, said Iornem would be included in the strategi committee of the party for the 2015 elections.
Dr Iyorchia Ayu, a former Senate president, in his remarks, called for the unity of the Tiv to enhance their electoral fortunes in the country.
Responding, Iornem said he left the APC following its abandonment of the core ideals which it pledged to achieve at inauguration.
He regretted the absence of internal democracy and fairness in the APC which led to imposition of candidates.
Iornem, however, advised the Tiv not to abandon farming for politics, saying that politics was not a substitute for farming.
More than 1000 APC members from Ushongo and Kwande Federal Constituency decamped alongside Iornem. (NAN)
