Victor Ezeja
The national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Iyorchia Ayu has said that his suspension by his ward, is of no effect, insisting that only the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) can suspend him.
The PDP ward executives of Igyorov council ward of Gboko Local Government of Benue State on Sunday announced the suspension of Ayu from the party.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThey accused him of working against the party during the last general elections and that he had failed to pay his annual subscription feed as provided in Section 8, subsection 9 of the PDP Constitution, 2017, as amended.
Reacting to that, Ayu through a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Simon Imobo-Tswam, said that those spearheading his suspension were ignorant and that it was a rumour.
He said that they were being used by his opponents, adding that according to the party’s constitution, they have no right to suspend him.
Part of the statement read: “The PDP National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, has not been suspended by his ward. Some members of the Exco are only being teleguided by political gamblers to cause mischief and nothing more.
“For starters, Article 57(7) of the PDP Constitution as Amended in 2017 expressly prohibits any organ of the party or executive committee of the party at the ward or state level from taking any disciplinary measure against any member of the party’s National Executive Committee.
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“The purported suspension is, therefore, an exercise in futility as it derives its strength majorly from gross illiteracy, ignorance, gambling and desperation. It has only mischief, drama, and propaganda value.
“But more than this, the so-called suspension letter was written by an illiterate beforehand, and only given to the coerced members to sign somewhere in Makurdi.”
The PDP national chairman alleged that the document itself was fraudulent and that the ward officials like the chairman, deputy, and legal adviser did not sign the document.
“About nine members of the Ward Exco are still being held hostage in a location in Makurdi for obvious reasons. And expectedly, their mobile numbers have been switched off, ” he alleged.
He advised the general public to ignore the rumors, maintaining that he still remains the authentic national chairman of the party.
Ayu has been in controversy with the governors of the G-5 group led by the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike. The group has since the PDP national convention in May 2022, been demanding that Ayu should resign, for the position to be zoned to the south for balance since the party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 election in the person of Atiku Abubakar, is from the north.
Other members of the G-5 group, include Benue governor, Samuel Ortom, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, and Seyi Makinde of Oyo State.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
