Benue crisis: APC summons Ortom, Akume

Hours after declaring that he was on his way out of the All Progressives Congress (APC) because of the ‘red card’ given to him by the party leadership, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has been invited to Abuja “to attend a crucial meeting”.
A source said that APC Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Lawal Shu’aibu, called Ortom and told him to come to Abuja “for us to solve the problem immediately”.
Ortom, according to the source, was said to have told him that he could no longer stay in the same party with former governor of the North-Central state, Senator George Akume, “who has dug a political pit around him (Ortom)”.
Ortom and Akume don’t see eye to eye and this has polarised APC in the state.
It is believed Ortom, who is seeking re-election, wants to quickly leave for another party, pick its ticket and return to the Government House next year on the platform of the new party.
But, Shu’aibu was said to have told him that Akume would also be invited to the meeting to state his own side of the matter.
The source said the announcement by Ortom to quit the party “really embarrassed the national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, who told Shu’aibu to handle the matter immediately and ensure that Ortom does not leave”.
It is believed that Ortom will win his re-election battle, irrespective of the platform he uses.
Said the source: “His people are with him. They believe he is their defender, especially when scores of them were killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen. They will vote for him any day”.