Posted by Daniel. on 23 September, 2022 under Naija News
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More stakeholders in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday called on Iyorchia Ayu, embattled chairman of the party, to resign from his position if he truly loves the party and wants its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to emerge winner in the 2023 general elections.
This followed the resolution of the group led by Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, not to participate in the Presidential Campaign Council of Atiku Abubakar, except Ayu steps down. The resolution of the Wike group to pull out of Atiku’s campaign was taken at a meeting held in Wike’s country home in Obio-Akpor on Wednesday night.
The group accused Ayu of compromising the May 28 and 29 presidential primary of the party through his conduct and reneging on his promise to resign if the party’s presidential candidate comes from the North. Prominent members of the group, including founding members of the party, governors, former ministers and other leaders of the party made their stance known in a resolution read by a former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chief Olabode George.
Speaking with Daily Independent on Thursday, a former minister from the Northern part of the country who is also a member of the PDP’s Board of Trustees said about 70 percent of the leaders of the party want Ayu to step down.
According to him, aside failing to manage the post-convention crisis in the party well, Ayu is responsible for the multiple crises in 12 states which include Edo, Ebonyi, Lagos, Kano, Delta, Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Ekiti, Imo, Akwa Ibom and Rivers. He said there is no way the PDP as an opposition party will win against APC if the likes of Wike, Makinde and others pull out of the campaign.
“At this juncture, I think the best thing for Ayu to do is to do the honourable thing by stepping down. We can’t continue this wrangling and stalemate with just five days to the lifting of ban by INEC. From Ayu’s action and utterances, he doesn’t have the interest of the party at heart. Here is a man who granted an interview on national television saying he is ready to make sacrifices and resign if the presidential candidate comes from the North. Now Atiku has emerged and you refused to do so even when those who made it possible for you to become chairman are asking you to step downâ€
