Senator Ayu Reveals ‘Impossible’ Condition To Resign As PDP National Chairman

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senator Iyorchia Ayu has expressed readiness to do anything to restore peace to the main opposition party.

Ezenwoko’s Blog reports that loyalists of Governor Nyesom Wike are insisting that Senator Ayu resigns from his position as northerners cannot occupy all major positions in the PDP.

According to Wike’s camp, the PDP chairman had displaced his partiality when he described Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State as the ‘hero’ of the party’s convention for stepping down for the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

At a meeting convened by the main opposition party Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Ayu had given a condition for his resignation if the stakeholders are adamant about his exit.

The PDP chairman had stated that all members of the National Working Committee (NWC) from the South must swap their current positions with those from the North.

It was gathered that his proposal was rejected by party stakeholders due to fear that many of their loyalists in the NWC will lose their positions and influence.

One of those who will lose out is Wike because one of his allies, Senator Samuel Anyanwu from the South East zone, is currently the PDP National Secretary.

Speaking to The Nation, a member of the BOT said: “He told us that he was ready to step aside but he should not be isolated.

“He said since the presidential candidate is from the North, the ideal thing is for Northern officers in the NWC to swap positions with their Southern members to guarantee equity, fairness, and justice.

“In spite of the fact that Ayu’s agitation is politically plausible, it may disrupt PDP’s zoning formula.

“This is why some of our leaders are saying that Ayu can only leave office when Atiku is elected as President.

“Some of us think Ayu should remain in office till after the elections.

“There are concerns that Ayu might not quit his position if Atiku loses the presidential race. This is also a probability.

“We don’t want any fresh crisis in the party. If there is a reversal of roles in NWC, some of our leaders, including Wike, will lose out.

“The governor of Rivers State singlehandedly produced the National Secretary of the party and a few others. It means Wike will further be in the cold in the power equation in PDP.”

Another BOT member said: “We did not want any further split in the party over Ayu because it was obvious to us that PDP will never be the same again if he is removed.

“What we agreed upon was to allow Ayu to remain in office till after the elections.

“Some BOT members said we should tactically pass a vote of confidence on Ayu, which we did when some of our leaders addressed the press.

“We count on Atiku and Wike to salvage the fragile situation in the party because they hold the aces.”