…it’s not true – Sen Suswam

By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Benue State took a new twist as the party was on Monday allegedly evicted from its State Secretariat building by the owner of the structure and former Governor of the State, Senator Gabriel Suswam.

The building located along the Makurdi/Otukpo has been the state headquarters of the party for several years until the latest development following the crisis that bedevilled the party along the lines of pro-Ortom and pro-Suswam supporters leading to the appointment of a Caretaker Committee by the National Secretariat to run the affairs of the party in the state.

But the former Governor denied evicting the opposition party from the building as being alleged.

Following the development the immediate past Governor of the state Chief Samuel Ortom immediately provided accommodations for the party in one of his office complexes formerly housing Oracle Business, located at the high level area of Makurdi town.

Speaking through his Media Aide, Terver Akase, Chief Ortom alleged that former Governor Suswam, at the early hours of Monday sealed off the secretariat.

He said, “You know that it is the former governor who owns that building, he sealed off the building this morning, he didn’t allow the caretaker committee to enter the office.

“As a result, the immediate past governor (Ortom) in his usual generosity has donated his building to the party.

But in a swift response Senator Suswam dismissed the allegation and demanded for proof from those peddling the rumour.

Speaking through his Media Aide, Bartholomew Bede , he said, “they did not evict them neither did they seal off the place and if they have any proof they can provide it.

“The issue of eviction cannot arise because PDP is not even a tenant as the building was donated to the party.”