Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike told Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who has been suspended by his political unit in Benue State, that the fight against him within the party has only just begun.
The governor said it is now unthinkable to allow anyone unable to hand over their political unit, ward, local or state government to the PDP during the last general election as party chairman.
Governor Wike spoke Monday at the opening of the renovated community high school, Okoro-nu-Odo, in the state’s Obio-Akpor local government area.
The Governor of Rivers State accused Dr. Ayu of taking bribes and the PDP had suffered a crushing defeat in the 2023 presidential and state gubernatorial elections in Benue and across the country.
“Ask them, those who want to be chairman of this party (PDP), what do you have to give to the party now? Presidential election; you took bribe, and lost in your unit, lost in your ward, lost in your local government and lost in your State. Which party will you preside over now?”
Governor Wike said it was God who hardened Ayu’s heart not to resign when the G-5 governors and members of Integrity Group demanded his resignation after the emergence of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the PDP presidential candidate.
He noted if Ayu had resigned then, his cohorts who were vehemently opposed to the zoning of elective and appointive offices would have used that as an excuse for the party’s abysmal performance in the just concluded general elections.
The governor said it will be morally offensive for Ayu to remain as the national chairman of the PDP after the catastrophic defeat of the party under his watch in his unit, ward, local government, State, and national. According to him, the suspension of Ayu is the beginning of the fight to save the party.
