Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom who Wednesday officially defected to the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP has given reasons for his decision.
Ortom who was earlier pacified to stay back at the ruling party, speaking during a meeting with local government chairmen and Councillors at the new banquet hall of Government House, Makurdi in which he formally announced his return to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, added that 10 out of the 17 state lawmakers elected on the platform of the All Progressive Congress were ready to follow him to PDP.
On why he defected, he said: “The state chapter has continued to launch an attack on me despite APC leadership intervention.
“This morning, I had wanted to go to Abuja to attend the meeting but some youths in the state refused, they asked me to go back.
“But let me formally inform this gathering that I have forwarded my resignation letter from the APC to the chairman of my council ward and he has promised to join me in the new party.
“As I talk to you, ten (10) out of seventeen (17) state lawmakers of the All Progressive Congress, APC are ready to follow me to the new party.
“May I formally announce to you that I have formally moved to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,” governor Ortom declared.
Earlier, the 13 council chairmen and leaders of the legislative council in attendance promised to follow the governor to the new party to ensure his re-election aspiration.
