Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, Saturday accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and its National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole of trying to throw the state into political crisis ahead of the 2019 elections.

Ortom, who said this in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, expressed shock that a few days after his defection from the APC, Oshiomhole, who had commended him days before, made a quick turnaround to launch verbal attacks against him.

Ortom’s statement is coming on the heels of warning issued Oshiomhole by the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to get ready to face the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) immediately his party loses next year’s election.

The PDP in a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said Oshiomhole was gallivanting about now because he was being shielded from prosecution over corruption charges by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Displeased with Oshiomhole’s sudden aggression towards him, Ortom said his latest disposition has revealed among other things, the true oppressive intentions of the ruling party APC against Nigerians.

“Oshiomhole appears to be flying a kite of an agenda to intimidate and suppress Nigerians, who desire freedom from a party which has clearly failed to secure lives and property, thereby ushering in an orgy of violence never before witnessed in the history of the country.

“Adams Oshiomhole’s diatribe against Governor Ortom has also revealed the plot hatched by APC leaders within and outside Benue to throw the state into political crisis ahead of the 2019 elections,” he said.

Ortom, who was responding to Oshiomhole’s statement that he was complicit in the killing of two Catholic priests in Benue State, noted that the conclusion he could draw was that investigations into the matter have been compromised.

The Governor noted that Oshiomhole was privy to the ongoing investigation of the suspects arrested in connection with the murder of two Catholic priests and 17 worshipers at Mbalom, Gwer East local government area of Benue State, noting that, “With his jumping into conclusion that the suspects were sponsored by the Governor, our suspicion is that either the investigation into the matter has been compromised or the APC National Chairman is influencing it.