He insisted on the need for a smooth and seamless transition as demanded by the constitution of the PDP, which required that replacement should only come from the zone of an affected officer in this case
A group known as G-14 whose membership comprises Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, elders from 14 Tiv speaking Local Government Areas of Benue State, Wednesday, endorsed Conrad Terhile Utaan, as the sole candidate to replace the removed national chairman of the party, Senator Iorchia Ayu, also from Benue State.
Speaking during the endorsement ceremony in Makurdi, leader of G-14, Dr. Laha Dzever, said it has always been the desire of fathers that vibrant youths such as Utaan, should aspire to leadership positions for them to grow and mature in it.
Dzever who lamented the challenges, particularly that of disunity that has almost tore the PDP apart which he noted was not good for an opposition, expressed optimism that the aspirant would take up the challenge of rebuilding the party which is fragmented from the national down ward for the party to take back power in the 2027 general elections.
In their separate presentations, Elders Agber Humbe, on behalf of Minda, Isaac Mfo, for Jemgbagh all of zone B, Atsaga Anemba and David Amo for zone A, all commended the bold step taken by the PDP national chairmanship contender, explaining that the party’s constitution had already protected the state.
They said it was under the same constitutional zoning arrangement which favoured North Central that Benue was selected, adding that the same zoning trickled down to zone B, which produced Ayu, and insisted that since the arrangement has not changed and nobody came out from the zone, especially from Jemgbagh to contest the office, they have no other choice than to endorse Utaan.
Addressing the stakeholders, the national chairmanship hopeful said he felt expedient to intimate them of his ambition and commended the acting national chairman of the party for doing well, but insisted that PDP as a party that is ran by a constitution, it was only proper to bring the democratic attributes and constitution of the party to bear on its leadership.
He insisted on the need for a smooth and seamless transition as demanded by the constitution of the PDP, which required that replacement should only come from the zone of an affected officer in this case, a replacement for Senator Ayu.
He denied allegations from some quarters that he was the one that removed Senator Iorchia Ayu as the national champion of the PDP, explaining that Ayu was suspended by his ward executive council members of Igyorov in Gboko LGA of Benue State on allegations of his failure to pay party dues.
Utaan who said Nigerians are waiting for the PDP having tested hell under the All Progressives Congress, APC, regime of Bola Tinubu, said he would reunite members and leaders of the party who have become docile because of lack of leadership, rebuild as well as reposition it for the party to recapture power and return it back to Nigerians.