A High Court in Makurdi, the Benue State Capital, had on Sunday restrained the embattled PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, from parading himself as the National Chairman of the PDP, owing to alleged anti-party activities and his failure to pay his membership dues, by the Igyorov ward executive committee in the Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State.
Forthwith, the Deputy National Chairman, Umar Damagum (North), assumes the position as the acting national chairman pending the ruling of the court.
Recall that the disgruntled top tier G-5 governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), comprising Samuel Ortom (Benue), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), and Nyesom Wike (Rivers), have relentlessly clamoured for the chairmanship zoning to the South, as opposed to the North position of the party’s constitution.
Reacting to the news of Ayu’s removal on Tuesday, Nyesom Wike, the most vocal in the feud took to the media to celebrate this new development while mocking the embattled PDP Chair who was relieved of his post, at the commissioning of the Trans-Kalabari Road Phase 1, Degema Local Government Area (LGA), Rivers. Wike in his remarks said: “You see how God works? All those people who were plotting evil against us, they are now the ones suffering it,” he said.
Also, he continued; “Ayu said nobody can suspend him, but today he has packed out from the office. We have an active chairman now. I told him, you will go, whether he likes it or not.” The Rivers Governor said he will continue to fight for Ayu’s removal till the end of his administration, adding that, “We are ready for the battle. I’m not from Benue but I have interest, that interest is that Ayu must go. And I’m going to carry it till May 29 when I leave the office.”
READ ALSO: Wike warns Ayu against stopping any candidate from contesting
Former Kogi West Senator, vying for gubernatorial seat in Kogi state, Dino Melaye, has urged Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and his G-5 allies not to be too quick to celebrate the ruling removing the embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu, from office.
In a chat with The Punch on Tuesday, Melaye reminded Wike and the G5 Governors that Ayu did not resign from office but only stepped aside, obeying court order. He stressed that the decision of the former Senate President to obey the court order was a testament to the party’s belief in the supremacy of the law.
Melaye also added that Ayu reserved the right to seek legal redress, and will definitely fight his suspension from office at the appellate court.
He said, “Ayu has the right to seek legal redress and I am sure that is an option he would explore. Ayu did not resign; he only stepped aside. He will bounce back and for the G-5 governors, we tell them not to rejoice yet because the music has just started.
“This is no celebration time for them. By this move, the party and the chairman have both demonstrated that they are law-abiding. Whether the ex parte order was well procured, purchased, or induced, Ayu decided to obey it as a law-abiding citizen. There is no point in taking the laws into our hands.’’
Now that Iyorchia Ayu has been suspended as the PDP National Chairman, hopefully, Wike would rest. Netizens react.
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