The main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is in dilemma following the insistence of governors Wike and Makinde that Ayu has to resign and the outright refusal of the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Newsonline reports that the fate of the main opposition party may be hanging on a balance of not only losing the 2023 election but coming a distant second runner-up in the 2023 election.
Different calls arose from the PDP Southern stakeholders for the National Chairman of the PDP, Ayu Iyochia to resign. A call that has been refused vehemently by the Ayu and his camp. A situation that is tearing the main opposition party apart.
Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, Samuel Ortom of Benue State and the national leader of the PDP Chief Bode George were those calling and insisting on the resignation of the national chairman, Ayu.
The call they argued was based on an agreement Ayu had in the build-up to the May PDP presidential primary election, that if a Northerner emerges as the presidential candidate of the party, he will resign from his position to give a Southerner a chance.
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According to Governor Wike of Rivers state, while reacting to the resignation of the former Board of Trustees resignation, Walid Jibrin said Atiku and Ayu had a meeting with him at the house of Bala Mohammed, Bauchi State governor in Abuja, where Ayu promised to step down from his position if a Northern emerges.
Wike said, “I told Nigerians before that at the appropriate time am going to speak, so let me reveal it small to you so that you people know the kind of country we are and you will begin to ask yourself, am I part of this country?
“Ayu said he will resign if a northerner emerges as PDP Presidential candidate. When the Northern PDP caucus met in the house of the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed in Abuja he said so.
“After the National Convention, the candidate of the party came to see me in my house in Abuja on Monday around 10:30 am, he told me that I want us to work together and then he said Ayu must go. I asked why, he said because, when a candidate comes from the North, the Chairman of the party will come from the South.
“So, all am saying is that implement what you told me. What offence have I committed? It is not about Wike, it is about the integrity of people who want to lead us.
“I challenge the PDP Presidential candidate to deny this. If he denies this, I will go further to say things to Nigerians. Because enough is enough.”
Wike further argued that the former BoT chairman was forced to resign, adding that BoT chairman, which has been given to Adolphus Wabara was a non-decision-making post, which cannot appease the Southern stakeholders.
He added, “As it is today, it is the Chairman of the party, Presidential candidate and President as the case may be, that will sit down and take a decision. And the Chairman is from the North, and the candidate is from the North, so who will represent the South in decision-making? It is not about me, will I be Chairman of a party? All am asking for, you have taken the President, yes, but you can take the two major positions. You can not do that.”
Governor Makinde of Oyo state, who also aligned with Wike’s stand in Abia State,at the commissioning of roads built by Ikpeazu, revealed that he was offered the position of the PDP governors forum which he rejected. He added that the stand of the Southern PDP stakeholder was that Ayu has to keep his promise and resign.
Speaking on Wednesday, 14 September, in Oyo, at the interactive session of the South-West PDP caucus with the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, Makinde also reinstated his call for Ayu’s removal, stating that only the resignation of the national chairman will assuage the Southern PDP stakeholders.
Makinde addressing Atiku and other PDP stakeholders in the interaction said, “If we want to restructure Nigeria, we must have the willingness to bring inclusivity to the PDP. Do we have the capacity? The answer is a resounding yes.
“The message from the South-West PDP is the South-West is asking that the National Working Committee of the PDP should be restructured. We are asking the National Chairman to step down so that the South will be fully included. That is the message.”
Responding that Makinde’s call for Ayu’s resignation, Atiku at the interactive session, said the demand for Ayu’s resignation was a constitutional matter which is not possible. He argued that it would require changing the constitution for Ayu to resign from his position. This he further argued would distract their intention to win the coming 2023 election.
Atiku said, “Only if the PDP constitution is amended, it is possible. The calls for the resignation of the national chairman or any national officer can only be achieved through the party’s constitution. The party’s constitution can only be amended.
He further said, “When I was the Vice President, we took over South West except for Lagos State. I don’t want us to lose focus, the focus is how to win the 2023 elections. I know that we are capable, we can do that”.
However, the embattle Ayu got a vote of confidence from the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party on Thursday (last week), which was a confirmation that the resignation hoped for by Wike and his camps may not come.
What are the chances of the main opposition party in less than one week for the election campaign to start? Will the leadership of the PAP and Atiku, the presidential candidate be able to bring Wike’s camp to agree that Ayu’s resignation spells doom for the party? Will Atiku and the PDP leadership risk Southern votes to keep Ayu in power?
While PDP seeks ways to answer the above questions, there is Peter Obi, Labour Party presidential candidate, who has become the choice of the youths, the organized labour and socio-cultural organizations and religious groups.
