National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Dr. Iyorchia Ayu may not step down before next year’s general election, it has been revealed. Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and other party leaders are asking Ayu to resign following the emergence of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as PDP presidential candidate. Atiku and Ayu are from the North.
Before they agreed to back him for the party’s number one job last year, Ayu agreed to step down if a Northerner emerged as presidential candidate. Former Deputy National Chairman, Chief Olabode George, is also telling Ayu to be a man of his words and resign now that a Northerner has emerged as presidential candidate.
“What we are saying is that the issue of the national chairman of the party must be addressed before the commencement of the campaign of 2023 general election. “It is an antithesis and against the norm and culture of our party that our presidential candidate, our National Chairman and Chairman of our Board of Trustee will come from one section of the country.
“Party members from the South are already feeling alienated. PDP is not a private company. Before we start the presidential campaign at the end of this month, the National Chairman must go to the South.
“How will party members from the South feel when they see that at all political rallies, southerners have no public political representation? “This constitutes a fun damental fault and lack of inclusiveness which is diametrically opposed to the position of the thinking of the founding fathers of our party.
“We do not want to have a Northern Peoples Democratic Party and a Southern Peoples Democratic Party. We do not want to go to the election divided. “What it good for the geese is good for the gander. That is why the position of the National Chairman must come to the South as a matter of urgency.
We are not begging for it. We demand it because it is our right,” George said. There are however indications that the National Chairman might be asked to stay until after the general election, when the National Executive Committee (NEC) members meet this week.
A party source disclosed that asking the National Chairman to leave now before the general election might not augur well for the North. “The election can go either way. What happens if Atiku does not win? Will he be recalled, or will the chairmanship remain in the South for another four years?
“I think the proper thing to do is to wait till the general election. If Atiku wins, the party will go for a midterm convention to replace the National Chairman,” he explained. Sunday Telegraph gathered that the North is worried with the acceptance the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi is gaining in the South.
Last week, the vice presidential candidate of the PDP, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, expressed fear that Obi’s candidature would affect PDP in South East. He told journalists in Kano that: “In the South East, it will obviously be an issue for us because of the sentiments that comes in.
But I know that the PDP has stronghold in the South East. And I know that the contest in the South East is between the PDP and LP obviously. “We would wish he was not in the race but since he is in the race, it is going to be real competition between the two parties (PDP and LP, not the APC) in the southeast,” he said.
The same sentiment is expressed by party members from the North. The fear is that even if Atiku wins the North, he might have difficulty securing the needed 25 per cent in the South East and parts of South-South. They see the move to remove Ayu now when the coast seems not so clear for Atiku, as a coup against the North. (New Telegraph)
