News Editor
By David Odama
The opposition peoples Democratic Party (PDP), chairmen in the 23 Local Government Areas of Benue State, have endorsed Engr. Conrad Utaan as the sole nominee for the position of the national chairmanship of the party in 2024.
The party chairmen in a press briefing in Makurdi Wednesday, said the nomination of Utaan was to help the party re-discover its true identity and recover its pride of place as the most viable political party in Nigeria and Benue State
Speaking during the briefing, Chairman of Kastina-Ala, Hon Terseer Adigoh, noted that the meeting was to address the issue of the replacement of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as the National Chairman of PDP,.
He added that Section 47(6) of the PDP Constitution 2017 as amended provides that the replacement for Dr. Iyorchia Ayu must come from Benue State, to reinforce the party’s commitment to equity, justice, and fairness as the core principles upon which the party stands.
They said “Now, it is our firm conviction that since equity, fairness and justice cannot be fulfilled halfway, even in Benue State, the replacement of Dr. Ayu must come from the Senatorial District he hails from, which is the Benue North-West (Zone ‘B’).
“It was the wisdom of the leadership of the party at all levels that since Chief Barnabas Gemade and Chief Audu Ogbe had both previously served in the office of National Chairman of the PDP from Zones ‘A’ and ‘C’ of Benue State respectively, Dr. Ayu was given the nod to serve as National Chairman from Zone ‘B’.
“It is, therefore, our considered opinion that in continuation of, and fulfillment of the decision for equity, fairness and justice, a candidate from Zone ‘B’ of Benue State be the one to replace Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as National Chairman.
“And having considered the fact that there is only one aspirant from the Benue Zone ‘B’ Senatorial District in the race to replace Dr. Ayu, we take the stand that the candidate be accorded the privilege of being the sole nominee of the PDP from Benue State to replace Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as National Chairman.
“Therefore, in fulfillment of our civic duty as Chairmen of the PDP in the 23 Local Government Areas of Benue State, we individually and collectively openly and publicly today, Wednesday, 9th October, 2024, endorse that sole candidate from Benue Zone ‘B’ in the person of Engr. Conrad Terhide Utaan as the sole nominee of the PDP in Benue State to replace Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as National Chairman of the PDP.
“We have taken this decision today to add force to the agitations from Benue State and from the North-Central Region for the replacement of Dr. Ayu as National Chairman.”
He said their decision would be communicate to the State Executive Committee (SEC) of the party in Benue State for onward action and transmission to the Zonal Executive Committee (ZEC) of the party for North-Central, which in tum should transmit same to the National Executive Committee (NEC) of our great party in Abuja.
He expressed hope that at the next NEC meeting of the PDP, scheduled to hold on October 24th, 2024, equity, fairness and justice will prevail in favour of Benue State and the sole nominee from the state, Engr. Conrad Terhide Utaan, will be affirmed as the replacement for Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as National Chairman of the PDP.
