Atiku Vs Wike: What Ayu’s Resignation Will Do To PDP – Senato Jev

The Senator representing Benue North West Senatorial District, Emmanuel Orker Jev, has said the call for the resignation of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu, will further put the party in crisis.

The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike and his allies, who have lamented the sidelining of the South in major positions of the party, had demanded Ayu’s resignation as the party’s national chairman, amongst others, for the PDP to have peace.

Angered by calls for his resignation, Senator Ayu stated that those who want him out of office “are children.”

Ayu, who had in 2021 said he would resign as PDP national chairman if a northerner became the party’s presidential candidate, has stayed put despite the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate from Adamawa (north-east).

In an interview with The Punch, Senator Jev said the resignation of Ayu will not end the current crisis in the party but would further escalate it.

The lawmaker added that decision of some party chieftains that Ayu should remain in office is meant to avoid further problems in the party.

Jev said the national chairman was ready to step down anytime but it has to be negotiated or else it will put the party in serious danger.

The lawmaker disclosed that the national chairman is being hindered by the party’s constitution to step down because another northerner will take over.

He said: “We are operating a constitution in the party and the constitution says, if Ayu leaves the deputy national chairman of the party who is from the north takes over, so, it can still not move to the South. It means that the crisis will still be there.

“Ayu is ready anytime to quit the position but this has to be negotiated or else it will put the party in serious danger. Already, the Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki has said that if Ayu leaves the party, he too is ready to leave.”

Speaking on Ortom’s role in the crisis, Jev said, “Ortom is in a dilemma because he has been Wike’s friend, it was as a result of this that he (Ortom) facilitated the election of Ayu and he cannot just leave Wike, so also he cannot dump Ayu. Ortom too is looking for negotiation out of this.”