Victor EzejaRivers Governor, Nyesom Wike has said that the embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Iyorchia Ayu deserves to be suspended and ultimately removed.
Recall that 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.
They 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 the Suspension, Ayu said that according to the party’s constitution, only the PDP National Executive Council has the right to suspend him, adding that those spearheading his suspension were ignorant and that it was a rumour.
READ ALSO: PDP Crisis: Only NEC Can Suspend Me – National Chairman, Ayu
Wike, who appeared on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily show on Monday morning, accused Ayu of playing a major role in the crisis that befell PDP in the just-concluded 2023 general elections.
Wike, who is the leader of the G-5 governor, has been in a running battle with Ayu and the PDP presidential candidate in the 25th February election, Atiku Abubakar over the rotation of the Party’s national chairmanship position.
The Rivers governor said Ayu ought to have left before now for failing to deliver for the party in both presidential and governorship elections.
His words: “I am in support of the suspension. In fact, if he (Ayu) had left before now, they would have said that was why the PDP failed the election.
“First of all, if you are a member of the party will you be happy with the way the party is today?
“It is only in this country that you see someone who has failed woefully, and without any conscience, would still like to occupy the position.
“In advanced countries and (if) you are the head of the party, I feel like such a colossal failure. You do not need anybody to tell you to throw in the towel.
“So those in his ward from Benue are hungry
“Why are they angry before now? Ayu ought to have left that office.
“People were saying we were pushing for Ayu to leave and that we had a hidden agenda to make PDP fail.
“Ayu remained and PDP didn’t win. You lost your unit as National Chairman. You lost your ward, as National Chairman. You lost your Local government.
“As National Chairman of the party, not only did you take a distant third in the presidential election, you also lost in the state gubernatorial election,” Wike said.
He said that by failing to deliver his ward and local government during the election, Ayu has lost relevance, adding that nobody will listen to him anymore as the party’s national chairman.
Meanwhile, the State High Court sitting in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, on Monday ordered Senator Iyorchia Ayu to stop parading himself as the national chairman of the PDP.
Justice W. I Kpochi of the State High Court made the order while ruling on an exparte motion filed by Conrad Terhinde Utaan, with Ayu and the PDP as respondents.
“An order of interim injunction restraining the 1st defendant, Senator Dr Iyorchia Ayu from parading himself as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) having lost membership of the party, pending the hearing and determination of Motion on Notice already filed,” Justice Kpochi ruled.
The exparte application marked, MHC/633M/2023 is supported by a 15-paragraph affidavit with three exhibits marked as Exhibits A1, A2 and B, which are the Applicant’s membership card of the 2nd defendant, receipts for payment of dues and a vote of no confidence passed on the 1st Defendant/Respondent by the Igyorov Council Ward of the 2nd Defendant in Gboko Local Government, Benue State.
“Upon hearing Mr M. T. Assoh of Learned Counsel ably move the application and upon a dispassionate consideration of the facts placed before me in the pool of the affidavit evidence, and again, upon the consideration of the issues distilled in the written address by M. T. Assoh of Learned Counsel, it is my candid view that this is a proper case to grant the interim injunction as craved,” Justice Kpochi held.
While granting the relief sought in the exparte application, the Judge adjourned the hearing in the matter till April 17, 2023.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
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