By our reporter| There seems to be no end in sight for the crisis rocking the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2023 presidential election as Iyorchia Ayu, the party’s national chairman has refused to step down despite pledging to do so in 2021 if a northerner emerges as the presidential candidate of the party.
Ayu emerged as the national chairman of the PDP on consensus last October.
Following cracks in the party after the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate, and the choice of Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate over Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state who finished second at the primary, there have been calls for Ayu to resign on the grounds that the party’s presidential candidate and the national chairman cannot be from the same region.
According to persons familiar with the matter, Ayu’s resignation is also a condition given by Wike for peace talks to succeed with Atiku.
However, responding to calls for his resignation, Ayu through his spokesman, Simon Imobo-Tswana, said the former senate president has no plan to resign from his position, as he
“was elected for a tenure of four years”.
“We restate, therefore, that the PDP National Chairman has not resigned and has no plan of resigning. For clarity and emphasis, he was elected for a tenure of four years,” he said.
“Sections 45 and 47 of the PDP Constitution are clear on the removal and/or resignation of the National Chairman. Those who don’t know this should get copies of the party’s Constitution for more information on the matter.”
Ayu’s current position, however, contradicts the pledge he made in October 2021, shortly before the party’s convention.
In an interview with Arise TV at that time, Ayu pledged to “step down after a presidential candidate emerges and happens to be in the north”, adding that he was willing to “do everything to promote the interest and image of my party.”
“Luckily, party positions we have agreed are not tied to executive and legislative positions. However, I’m a very democratic person and I will do everything to promote the interest and image of my party,” he had said.
“If the PDP says I should step down after a presidential candidate emerges and happens to be in the north, I will be very glad to do so because what we want is to take over the government and run it in the interest of Nigerians. I’ll sacrifice anything to ensure that my party wins.”
-PDP chieftain urges Ayu to resign for Party unity
Meanwhile, the clamour for Ayu’s resignation continued on Tuesday as a chieftain of the Party and ex-presidential candidate, Sam Ohuabunwa urged him to resign if it will end the animosity between former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike.
Ohuabunwa made the call while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
“I see him as a man of honour,” Mr Ohuabunwa said on Tuesday evening, referring to Ayu. “If that is what he said, then he should follow the path of honour.
“Even if he didn’t say it, if he is the leader of the party who has brought us to this point, he should make the sacrifice. Do what needs to be done and make sure Nigerians are happy with PDP, members of PDP are happy.
“If he needs to step down for that to happen, he should do so. We need to unify the party.”
Ohuabunwa lamented the prolonged rift between Atiku and Wike, noting that it was a distraction for the PDP as the 2023 polls inches closer.
According to him, the inability of the party to settle the conflict shows a lack of conflict resolution capacity.
“This party is bleeding right now,” Mr Ohuabunwa said.
Leave a Reply