Governor Samuel Ortom / Facebook
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has announced his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He made the announcement at a meeting with elected local government chairmen and Councillors at the Government House Makurdi.
Ortom stated that he has forwarded his resignation letter from the APC to his ward chairman.
He also assured the readiness of the APC ward chairman to join him in the new party.
This is coming after some youths protested and barred him from traveling to Abuja to attend the APC reconciliation meeting.
The youths had stormed the Government House on Wednesday morning.
The governor had, around 10am, taken off from Government House, Makurdi, when the youths in their hundreds blocked his route.
While speaking, Terrence Kuanum and Pastor Dave Ogbole who spoke on behalf of the youths advised the governor not to attend the meeting but to seek alternative platform for his re-election.
The youths threatened not to vote for him if he shuns their advice or attend the meeting.
The announcement brings to an end months of speculation that the governor will return to the PDP as a result of his disagreement with leaders of the party in Benue and at the national level.