By Peter Duru

MAKURDI—Benue State chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr. Abba Yaro, has debunked reports that Governor Samuel Ortom was planning to defect from the party ahead of the 2019 elections, blaming the rumours on Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

APC & PDP

Yaro, who made the clarification yesterday in a statement by the party’s Director of Publicity, Mr. Apeh Peterhot in Makurdi, said the rumours were intended to cause disaffection between Governor Ortom and the party leadership at the national level.

The statement read in part: “It is noteworthy to inform the public that Governor Samuel Ortom is very much with All Progressives Congress, APC.

“There is no rift between us in Benue State and the party leadership in Abuja. We are working harmoniously to ensure the security of our people.

“The governor and the party leadership are trying their best to proffer lasting solutions to the perennial herders/farmers clashes.

“For the purpose of clarification, the rumours making the round about our Governor Ortom’s purported defection from our party, APC, is false. It was sponsored by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.”

Yaro stressed that there was a harmonious relationship between Governor Ortom and the party leadership at both state and national levels, maintaining that the governor was working to ensure security of lives and properties in the state.