Former Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has denied claims of being suspended from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Ortom said reports of his suspension from the PDP were null and void.

Speaking through his media aide, Tever Akase, the former governor noted that the embattled Benue PDP Chairman, John Ngbede, had no standing to convene any meeting to suspend anyone.

He explained that Ngbede has been suspended for one month.

“Ortom has not been suspended. He is the leader of the party in the state, and any meeting that is called or going on without his consent is null and void,” he said.

However, Ngbede maintained that the former governor remained suspended from PDP.

Addressing journalists at the party’s secretariat in Makurdi on Tuesday, he said Ortom was suspended for attempting to hijack the PDP leadership in the state.

Ngbede said, “It’s true that the former governor was suspended by the State Working Committee of the party because what we are saying is that we will not allow anyone who thinks he can take the leadership of the party by force.

“The party belongs to the people, and that is what we want to do. We will not allow anyone to take us back to the old order where they will be hijacking voting materials. We should allow people to feel the impact of the congress.”