Governor Nyesom Wike’s team reportedly pulled out of the campaign Council of the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Port Harcourt on Wednesday, following a meeting held early morning in the Rivers State capital, Chief Bode George, after the long meeting, insist that the chairmanship of Ayu undermined the unity and constitution of the party and Ayu must resign.
His statement below;
"We resolve that we are deeply concerned by the division in our party. We are aware that over the years our party has developed conflict resolution mechanisms that guarantee inclusiveness.
“The published presidential campaign council list translates to putting the cat before the horse. The pertinent issue remains the resolution of the leadership which is a departure of
“Senator Iyorchia Ayu must resign as the National Chairman of the party for an acting Chairman of the Southern Nigerian extraction to emerge and lead the party on the national campaign.
"Consequently, we resolve not to participate in the campaign council in whatever capacity until the resignation of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.”
Jonah Jang, former Plateau State Governor and an ally of Wike, questioned why Ayu called Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tanbuwal the hero of the convention after giving the Governor a warm embrace at the party's convention.
Jonah Jang said, “For a National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu to go and embrace Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tanbuwal, calling him the hero of the convention meant that there was a private arrangement that was done with Tambuwal to shortchange other contestants including Governor Wike.
“Here was a referee, who helped one of his sides to score a goal and then blew the whistle. This is not what we formed the PDP to do for Nigerians. Therefore, we unequivocally ask that Ayu must step down.”
The former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, is also backing the call for Ayu's resignation, he said;
“You cannot build on a faulty foundation.
“This call for the chairman to step down or resign is not because any of us is aggrieved but because we believe it is important to ensure a just, fair, principled, and constitutional structure for the party. If we want to restructure Nigeria, we should have the courage to restructure our party”.
The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, is not left out of a call for Ayu’s resignation, he also said;
“We hope that the powers that be listen to the voice of reason and do the needful”.
The pro-Wike group said their support for Wike is in the interest of equity and justice in the party.
They reiterate that it was not because Wike lost the presidential primary or because he was not chosen as the running mate to Atiku.
The present call for Ayu's resignation is wrongly timed, considering that the National Presidential Election is just few months away. Why change your coach in the middle of the match. The available time, money, human and other resources should be channeled to the PDP election campaigns. Changes could be made after elections
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