PDP Crisis: Reactions as Ortom Bounced Out of Party's Hall, “A Whole Former Governor,” Video Trends

• Tension rose on Tuesday, November 18, during a PDP meeting, with some individuals leading former Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom, out of the party's NEC hall
• Opposing sides clashed while attempting to access the PDP NEC hall as police fired teargas to prevent some officials from entering the premises
• The incident at the PDP headquarters occurred following attempts by opposing factions to hold parallel meetings at the Wadata Plaza headquarters

Legit.ng journalist, Ridwan Adeola Yusuf, has over 9 years of experience covering elections, politics, and governance in Nigeria and Africa.

FCT, Abuja - Nigerians on social media are reacting after a video showed Samuel Ortom, immediate-past governor of Benue state, being escorted out of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national executive committee (NEC) hall on Tuesday, November 18.

Legit.ng reports that Ortom, a key ally of Nyesom Wike, the minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), was led out of the hall while walking in when Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state and Bauchi's Governor Bala Mohammed were reportedly addressing the press.

Read also

Breaking: PDP speaks out as Wike's faction attempts to take over party’s headquarters in Abuja

The PDP headquarters in Abuja was the theatre of chaos on Tuesday, November 18, as rival factions battled for control of Wadata Plaza.

The expelled faction aligned with Wike stormed the secretariat with their supporters as the new national working committee (NWC) accused Wike and his allies of attempting to disrupt their meeting.

Protracted PDP crisis

Legit.ng reports that the PDP has been mired in crisis since 2022.

On Saturday, November 15, a faction of the party held a convention in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, amid conflicting court rulings.

At the Ibadan convention, Wike and his allies were expelled from the PDP. However, the FCT minister's group dismissed the convention as a charade and the expulsion as a joke.

Ortom's ejection: Nigerians react

Meanwhile, Nigerians, especially on X (formerly Twitter), expressed mixed reactions to the ejection of Ortom from the PDP NEC hall.

Read also

Fubara finally reacts to PDP crisis: "It's a movement"

Legit.ng captured some comments below:

Opposition figure Morris Monye wrote:

"See how they bounced a whole former Governor."

@Ijalejoseff tweeted:

"Seyi Makinde betrayed his G5 crew!"

@MaRyAm_MuKtAr said:

"Public embarrassment. They are acting like uneducated people."

Isaac Oladipupo commented:

"Ortom escorted out like an ex convict. PDP selfdestructing beautifully."

@megaflexing opined:

"I still don't understand. Why insist to stay in a party and be working for another? Unbelievable! Clearly a lack of honour and integrity."

Yakub Tijani wrote:

"That’s why I don’t have any sympathy for Bala (Mohammed) and Seyi Makinde when they were tear-gassed too. They act with impunity because they’re governors. In less than two years, both of them will also become former governors."

@Dotun88 wrote:

"Person wey God give second chance sef dey pursue person. Dey use one hand dey push person."

@dele003 said:

"This matter is not ending anytime soon, na season film be this."

Read also

Wike's camp ignores PDP convention in Ibadan, dares Makinde, summons party's BoT, NEC meeting

Atobajaye Samson tweeted:

"He was there acting on behalf of his master, Wike."

@Maxajee wrote:

"The APC has successfully destabilised the PDP. There’s no opposition in Nigeria."

Read more on the PDP crisis:

• Saraki explains why PDP’s national convention should be suspended, proposes solution
• ‘He is Wike’s man’: Ex-aide to PDP national chair slams Saraki over call to suspend convention

Wike-led PDP sacks Makinde, others

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a faction of the PDP loyal to Wike expelled Governor Makinde and others.

Others expelled are Zamfara state governor, Dauda Lawal, Senator Adolphus Wabara, Senator Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, Taofeek Arapaja, among others.

Source: Legit.ng