 a 48-hour ultimatum to withdraw its public summon and issue an apology for what he describes as an attempt to damage his reputation.){kind=link}
Former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has given the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) a 48-hour ultimatum to withdraw its public summon and issue an apology for what he describes as an attempt to damage his reputation.
His demand follows a statement from the PDP’s National Disciplinary Committee, led by Tom Ikimi, announcing an inquiry into petitions allegedly filed against him.
In a letter addressed to the party by his lawyer, C.T. Mue Esq., Ortom’s legal team condemned the PDP’s approach, arguing that the public disclosure of the allegations without prior notification was a violation of both the party’s constitution and Nigerian law.
The letter stated that Section 57(4) of the PDP Constitution (2017 as amended) requires that any member facing allegations must first be formally notified in writing before any public action is taken.
It also referenced Section 57(7), which limits disciplinary actions against certain high-ranking members—including former governors—to the National Executive Committee (NEC) alone, thereby questioning the jurisdiction of the disciplinary committee in Ortom’s case.
Additionally, the letter cited Section 24 of the Cybercrimes Act 2015, which criminalizes the deliberate dissemination of false or misleading information that causes reputational harm, arguing that the premature publication of allegations against Ortom amounted to such an offense.
Ortom’s legal team insisted that the party immediately retract its press release, issue a formal apology within 48 hours, and refrain from making further public statements on the matter until due process is followed. Failure to meet these demands, the letter warned, would leave Ortom with no choice but to take legal action, including a defamation lawsuit and a petition to law enforcement agencies for violations of the Cybercrimes Act.
The controversy has sparked further division within the PDP, as the Benue State chapter of the party has also rejected the inquiry. The state chairman, Hon. Ezekiel Adaji, asserted that the individuals behind the petition are not recognized members of the PDP and have failed to provide any proof of their membership.
With tensions escalating, the party leadership now faces mounting pressure to resolve the dispute before it further destabilizes internal party unity.