The Benue state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has lambasted its Candidate in the 2023 governorship election, Hon. Titus Uba for saying that the party and its leadership in the state abandoned him when he fell ill.
In a statement signed by the state secretary of the Party, Dan Nyikwagh and made available to this medium, the party said Hon. Uba’s decision to eulogise the state governor, Rev Fr. Hyacinth Alia who merely rented a house for him is “both shocking and disgustingly ungrateful”.
It will be recall that during his formal decamping to the All Progressive Congress in Vandeikya recently, the former PDP candidate in the governorship election alleged that the party abandoned him when he fell ill. he praised governor Alia for takin care of his hospital bill and for providing a decent accommodation for him in Abuja.
But reacting to the allegations, the Benue state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party said these comments by Hon. Uba “are not only unfortunate, coming from one who has benefited immensely from the party, but are also a fabrication of lies designed to justify his gross ingratitude”
the party scribe noted that the PDP under the leadership of the former governor, Samuel Ortom “ensured that he received the best care possible. He was first stabilized in Abuja and then flown to Germany for specialist treatment, an intervention that cost over N300 million..
“For the record, Rt. Hon. Uba’s claim that no member of the PDP contacted him during his illness is utterly false. Either the former Speaker is suffering from a concerning memory lapse, or he is being deliberately mischievous.
“Let us remind him that he fell ill in 2022, and from that moment, the PDP, under the leadership of then-Governor Chief Samuel Ortom, did not abandon him.
“Benue people will recall the arrangements made for Uba’s treatment abroad and the welcome party organized by the PDP upon his return. While he was away, elements within the state sought to substitute him as the gubernatorial candidate of our party, citing his health condition. It was Chief Ortom who stood firmly behind Uba, insisting that he remained our flagbearer against all odds. This was years after Chief Ortom had earlier facilitated Uba’s first party ticket on the platform of the APC, later made him Speaker, returned him for a second term as Speaker, and championed his gubernatorial bid.
“Even after the loss of the 2023 election, the party stood by Uba through his election petition, up to the Supreme Court in January 2024.
“As the custodian of the party’s updated register, I can confirm that Rt. Hon. Uba ceased to be a functioning member after 2023, when he voluntarily stopped attending party meetings and activities despite specific invitations, and halted all financial commitments to the party. One must ask: if every member behaved as he did, from where does he expect the party to source funds to cater for its members?
“It is, therefore, both shocking and disgustingly ungrateful that Uba now chooses to publicly prioritize and eulogize Governor Hyacinth Alia merely for renting for him an apartment in Abuja, while overlooking a lifetime of support, mentorship, and immense personal sacrifice from Chief Ortom. This included gainful employment as Technical Manager in Ortom’s private company, an opportunity that set him up for life.
“The party is not a charity organization for personal medical care. It is also revealing that after eight years in the Assembly, enjoying all due emoluments as a Member and Speaker, Uba had no savings and relied on others for basic needs.
“Truth be told, it is Uba who abandoned the PDP. By June 2024, during our ward congresses, he was absent. He remained absent through the state congresses and has since severed all ties with the party.
“To us, the former Speaker left long ago. We have since moved past his unfortunate chapter with us. His exit is good riddance.
“The PDP’s most daunting task was marketing Titus Uba to the Benue populace, a man who could not convince his own kinsmen in a mock primary election, finishing a distant fourth.
“As a party, we sincerely apologize to Rt. Hon. Titus Uba for elevating him to a status far beyond his mental and appreciative capacity. May he find a place in his heart to forgive us” the statement concluded .