..says Rivers Gov. is Childish
The National Chairman of People’s Democratic party PDP, Senator Iyorchia Ayu has taken it up with the Rivers state Governor,Nyesone Wike , amidst crisis rocking the PDP
Ayu who rebuffed certain calls for his removal from office by group loyal to Wike wondered the contribution of the group and their presence when he and some other members were laying the foundation of the party.
Both the PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State have been engaged in a feud over moves to oust the party’s national chairman
Though a reconciliation committee was set up by the two leaders, the committee is yet to reach a consensus on the way out of the feud.
Speaking in an interview with the Hausa Service of the BBC monitored in Abuja yesterday, Ayu, in a veiled reference to Governor Wike, declared that party leaders have worked so hard to a point where they cannot allow an individual destroy all they had laboured for.
His words: “I was elected to lead the PDP for a four-year term, I have not even spent one year. The election of Atiku as a presidential candidate has nothing to do with the position of national chairman. I won an election as prescribed by our party’s constitution.
“I did not commit any crime, I’m only bringing in positive reforms to the party, and honestly I’m not bothered by the noise.
“I know I’m working, I have not stolen any money, I have not committed any offence because of this. I don’t know what all that talk is about.”
In response to a question as to whether or not the yet-to-be resolved dispute with Governor Wike will affect the electoral fortunes of the party in 2023, Ayu said: “We founded the PDP in Nigeria. So, some children/kids, who have no inkling about the struggle, cannot become a problem.
“When we started the PDP, we did not see these children/kids, they didn’t know why we founded this party. We will not allow an individual to come and destroy our party
But a source, who is a member of the Board of Trustees, BoT, insisted that the party’s national chairman must resign for peace to reign, adding that the South-West is behind Wike.
The PDP leader, who spoke in confidence, said: “Wike knows what he is doing.
These people (Atiku’s camp) know what they are doing, they have insulted us. Some of us are the ones holding the party together and preventing it from disintegration. For peace to reign, the zoning committee met and resolved that the contest should be thrown open then for all aspirants to contest.
“Now, the North has the presidential candidate, they have Board of Trustees, PDP Governors’ Forum and National Chairman but the South has nothing. What we want is for Ayu to resign so that the South can produce the chairman and then have a sense of belonging.
“Atiku and Ayu are refusing that which shows that these people are the same; they are turning the PDP into a northern party. If we fail to do the needful, this will be the beginning of that break-up. Some of us will go home with dignity and we will not succumb to what they are doing.
“They say people are defecting in Katsina and Kano states to the PDP; it is because they have the candidate to show for it. What do we have in the South-West? Ayu is insisting that he won’t resign until after the election but we have alternatives. Ayu’s continued stay will kill the PDP and I don’t know where his loyalty is.”
On what will douse tension in the party, the PDP leader said Ayu’s ouster will lead to peace and ensure there is a sense of belonging within the party.
He said: “What can lead to peace is for Ayu to resign and tell the South-West to bring a candidate for the chairmanship. All Ayu is saying he won’t resign but Atiku knows the truth and he must do what is right
We must give our people a sense of belonging. Most of us in the South-West are behind Wike because what he is saying is in our interest. What we are asking for is to convince our people in South West that they are part of the leadership of the party.