The Mbagba Council Ward of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ushongo Local Government Area of Benue State has suspended the State Publicity Secretary, Chief Bemgba Iortyom, indefinitely.
The ward executives accused Iortyom of anti-party activities, insubordination, indiscipline, and non-payment of party dues.
The suspension was signed by 20 party members and copied to various party organs, including the State Working Committee and the State Executive Committee, according to the Independent.
The ward officials also suspended the Chairman of the ward, Peter Asende, for allegedly working with Iortyom to frustrate the party’s growth in the ward.
Iortyom dismissed the suspension as an illegality, but the ward officials maintained that it stands.
A party chieftain, Terese Achir, has filed an application for an interim injunction to effect Iortyom’s suspension.
The development highlights the internal conflicts within the Benue State PDP and may have implications for the party’s unity and prospects in future elections.
The party lamented the utterances of Iortyom, wherein he boosted publicly of how he frustrated the PDP in the state during the 2023 general election by supporting the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi.
The meeting which was presided over by the ward Secretary, Emmanuel Akaanger noted that the actions of the state publicity secretary of the PDP and the ward chairman, Peter Asende who did not call for ward meetings for over one year undermined the supremacy of the party and can no longer be tolerated, hence the suspension of the duo.
Following the suspension of Iortyom, a Chieftain of the PDF in Ushongo LGA, Terese Achir has filed an application before a Makurdi High Court seeking an Order of Interim Injunction to effect his suspension.
While reacting to the suspension, the State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Bemgba Iortyom alleged that those that purportedly suspended were not members of the party, adding that “It’s (action) an illegality; it has no substance.”
While insisted that his ward has not suspended him, he stated that “the action has no consequence whatsoever.”
He also stated that those that claimed to have suspended him are “unknown” to him and the party.
He added that the group claimed to have suspended him at a meeting which neither the state nor LG executives were aware of, just as the signatories on the document are not officials of the party and “it should not be taken serious”, Iortyom said.
