By James Shim
More revelations are being made on the crisis rocking the Benue State Chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
The party has for sometime now been torn into two factions, one claimed by Engr John Enemari and another by Ameh Ebute Jnr.
While Engr Enemari claimed he is the elected Chairman in the state and that the national arm of the party was hunting him for standing on the side of truth, Ebute held that he has been elected Acting Chairman, following the suspension of Engr Enemari for anti party activities.
Ebute Jnr said Engr Enemari shot himself in the foot by holding a meeting with few other members of the party in Abuja to remove the National Chairman.
According to him, consequently, by the directive of the National Chairman and Secretary, the state chapter held an emergency meeting and, in a mini election, he was elected against two others from Zone C which was to produce the Ag. chairman.
Ebute Jnr made the revelation at a stakeholders’ meeting of the party held Saturday at Signature Resort, Low-Level, Makurdi.
While speaking to newsmen, immediately after the meeting, the Ag chairman said he invited stakeholders to intimate them of the change in leadership and to inform them that there was unity in the party, as well as the desire to move the party forward.
“There is no crisis in SDP. What happened is as a result of some selfish individuals. It was the former State Chairman, John Enemari that engaged in some anti-party activities and was suspended and he went on air to create the impression that the party has factions,” he stated.
According to him,” the party has only one National Chairman, Dr Olu Ogunloye and one National Secretary, Alh. Shehu Gaba. That is the only authority I know and we have in SDP.”
Ebute added, “we are going to have a new secretariat because the former leader out of his intentions of doing things, he told the party a lot of lies.
“We had structures but after the 2019 elections, a lot of people were disappointed and everything collapsed. It’s just now that we are going to raise new structures.”
He said however, that, “a lot of people left the party but since I was announced the Ag chairman people have started coming back and others are indicating interest to join us.”
“Like I said, we are a community of very young people that desire to bring innovation in the way things are being done. Underground, we have been working very hard to see that the party succeed at all levels,” Ag chairman explained.
He promised to deliver Benue to the SDP and warned that anyone who would want to stand in the way of his success should move away as he was prepared to go to lengths for the party.
According to him, “those of you who are presently in SDP should count it as a privilege to solve your problems and that of the state.”
“I will restructure for capacity and build on ideologies of SDP. We will not fail,” he said.
Other state officials in the meeting included Patrick Yaavur, State Vice Chairman Zone A, Emmanuel Ibyabya, state Vice Chairman Zone B, Aondona Edmond Akende, state Secretary and Yaase Daniel, state Publicity Secretary.