By Ola ‘Kiya, Reporting
MEMBERS of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) sympathetic to the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, have, again, insisted that Dr Iyiorcha Ayu, chairman of the party, must go.
This is coming on Wednesday despite series of votes of confidence passed on the Dr Ayu in recent times.
The group threatened not to be part of the Presidential Campaign Council of the party except the embattled National Chairman, Dr. Ayu resigned his position.
The team said it has pulled out of the campaign council of the party’s presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, pending when the party meets its demand.
The group came out with their position after a meeting it held at the Rumuepirikom country home of governor Wike early Wednesday.
Announcing their resolution after the meeting, former Deputy National Chairman, South West of the PDP, Olabode George, declared that their position was not negotiable.
He said that the meeting came to the resolution that Ayu’s continued stay in office undermined the constitution and unity of the party.
It demanded that Sen. Iyorchia Ayu resigns as the National Chairman of the party for an active chairman of Southern extraction to emerge and lead the party on the national campaign.
“Consequently, we resolved not to participate in the Campaign Council in whatever capacity until the resignation of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu”, Chief George stated.
The group accused Ayu of compromise especially on the role he played in the conduct of the PDP Presidential Primaries held on May 28 and 29th September, 2022.
Chief George added: “For the National Chairman, Sen. Ayu to go and embrace Tambuwal calling him the hero of the convention which means there was a private arrangement that was done with Tambuwal to short change Governor Wike.
“And there was referee who helped one of the sides to score a goal and then blew the whistle that a goal has been scored.
“This is not what we formed the PDP to do for Nigerians and therefore, we unequivocally ask that Ayu must step down”.
He explained that the group’s support for Wike was not because he lost the presidential primaries or because he was not chosen as the Vice Presidential candidate of the party, but because of equity and justice in the party.
Also speaking, another founding member of the PDP, Prof. Jerry Gana, explained that Ayu continuing as National Chairman of the party amounted to building on a faulty foundation.
“Therefore, he said, this call for the chairman to step down or to resign is not because any of us is aggrieved but because it is important to ensure a fair structure, a just structure, a principled structure and constitutional structure for the party”.
“If we want to restructure Nigeria, we should have the courage to restructure our party”, he added.
On his part, Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde expressed hope that the party’s hierarchy should listen to the voice of reason and do the needful.
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