Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has made his position clear amid calls for the resignation of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Iyorchia Ayu.

Ortom in a statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur said that he worked for Ayu to become the National Chairman and therefore can’t work to remove him from office.

“It is an open secret that Governor Ortom worked tirelessly, alongside other prominent Benue citizens to ensure that Dr. Ayu gets elected as the national chairman of our great party even against all odds. He cannot therefore turn around to work against him to be removed from office.

“In the run up to the National Convention, Governor Ortom got the backing of many leaders of the PDP who believed his sense of judgment when he vouched for the integrity and capacity of Dr Iyorchia Ayu to lead and rebuild the PDP to victory and rescue Nigeria from the misrule of the APC maladministrarion.

“That is why Ayu was returned unopposed by the Northern caucus of the party and got elected as the national chairman of the PDP at the party’s convention.”

The statement was in reaction to a statement credited to an Abuja-based group Jemgbagh Development Association, alleging that Ortom has a hand in the current travails of Ayu in PDP.

The statement further read, “Governor Ortom vouched for the integrity and capacity of Dr Iyorchia Ayu to lead and rebuild the PDP to victory and rescue Nigeria from the misrule of the APC maladministration. That is why Ayu was returned unopposed by the northern caucus of the party and got elected as the national chairman of the PDP at the party’s convention.

“Where was Jemgbagh Development Association, when Governor Ortom galvanised support from across the leaders of the party to make Dr. Ayu PDP’s National Chairman? What was their contribution to that project that they now want to use clannish stance to blackmail the governor?

“This amorphous and emergency Jemgbagh Development Association, Abuja, which has never been heard of before, is now masquerading as the voice of Jemgbagh to embark on campaign of calumny against Governor Ortom, who has worked selflessly for the people of Benue State.

“Governor Ortom is more Jemgbagh than most of the people claiming it now. This is fact, because he has done more for Jemgbagh, both in terms of appointments and projects executed as well as patronage in the area, than even one of the Jemgbagh sons, who was governor. Besides, Governor Ortom has consistently worked for the unity of Benue State and will never stand in the way of any of her citizens, either here in the state or in the diaspora

“For those, who claimed to be leaders of this Jemgbagh Development Association, Abuja, we urge them to be truly developmental in their drive to build cohesion among the people and attract real development to their area rather than engaging in mischief or blackmail.”