October 12, (THEWILL) – The immediate past coordinator of the Tinubu Youth Vanguard for Benue State, Engineer Conrade Terhide Utaan, has led over 6,000 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue state.
Governor Samuel Ortom, Senators Gabriel Suswam, Oker Jev, all governorship aspirants on the ticket of the PDP, House of Reps members in the state as well as the leadership of the party were on hand to receive Utaan and his supporters.
Governor Samuel Ortom described Utaan as a grassroot mobilizer who gave the PDP a dogged fight during the last general elections.
He expressed joy that the he is now in the PDP saying as a young man, his political future remains bright.
Ortom added that with the coming of Utaan into the party with his huge followership and mobilization acumen, the coast is clear for the party to clinch all elective positions by 2023.
The immediate past governor of the state, Gabriel Suswam, thanked Utaan for joining the PDP.
He said, “Utaan what you have done today will go down in history, never shake but remain steady in the PDP and you shall reap the rewards .
“Governor Ortom, myself can no longer go back to be running for such positions as those of House of Reps , council chairmen and all of that and so you are the next generation of leaders. But you must be very steady so you can take over from us. Look at the number of people that you have brought into the party today, we need vibrant youngmen like you to guarantee our future in this country.”
While addressing the gathering, Utaan said he was compelled to dump the APC with his teeming supporters because the party in the state had become “one-man party.”
He said the party had become a sinking ship and faced the prospect of extinction from the state because of the questionable decisions of an individual.
He said, “People spent their hard earned money to buy nominations forms for the ward congresses but they were denied participation in the process because names were picked by an individual at his residence.
“I was one of the stalwarts of that party but today I have decided to defect to the PDP with 6,000 of my supporters because of the fraud that denied us our rights in the party.
“I appeal to the PDP and Governor Samuel Ortom who is a man of peace, wisdom and impeccable character to please accept us into the PDP, which is truly a party for the people.”
