A national chairmanship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Sen.Gabriel Suswan has said he is still in the race for the exalted office of the party.
He made this known on Thursday during an emergency critical meeting of stakeholders of the party in Makurdi.
He said it was the right of the North Central to fill the vacant position of the national chairman vacated by Dr. Iyochia Ayu which was in line with the constitution of the party.
Suswan said after consultations with stakeholders of the party across the country and his endorsement by the Benue State chapter of the party, he presented himself for the position.
He added that it was the national leaders of the party that will select who will replace the former national chairman and it will not be through any election.
Suswan further said it had become obvious that some PDP members who are masquerading as leaders of the party in the state were determined to sabotage and inflict damage on the well-organised and peaceful party.
He said what transpired during the purported congresses in the state was the height of rascality.
“Some people want to hoodwink us because they want to control the entire party structures in the state.
“Their actions led to the comprehensive defeat of the party in the last polls and we must stand firm not to allow them to have their way again.
” What they are enjoying is a short term victory as you cannot build anything on nothing.
“It is only the ward congress that was genuinely conducted in 15 LGA in the state that will stand,” he said.
He dispelled the rumor that he evicted the party from the office which belongs to him and assured that the party will continue to use the complex until they build their own.
In a remark, a member of the Board of Trustees, BoT, of the PDP, Chief Margaret Ichen said even at the national secretariat of the party there was a division.
She said some people from Kwande LGA who had nothing to offer were causing a crisis in the party.
Former state Chairman of the party, Sir John Ngbede said he cannot be used by anybody to fight Suswam or foment crisis in the party.
“I was asked to alter the ward congress results in 15 LGAs by some leaders of the party and I vehemently refused,” he said.
He said the chairman of the ward congresses from the national secretariat of the party did not collate any congress result as he feigned illness and disappeared from the state.