- ‘The children brought you from the gutter to make you chairman’ — Rivers Gov. To Ayu
Hours after the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu made bold claims that no individual can intimidate him to resign from his position in the party, former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Olabode George, on Thursday defended Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state, demanding that the south must produce the number one position in the party ahead of 2023.
George who spoke during the commissioning of Omerelu Internal Roads in the Ikwere Local Area of the state, argued that it is unfair that the PDP chairman; presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar; and PDP Board of Trustees Chairman, Walid Jibrin, are all from the Northern part of the country.
The former national chairman of the PDP while aligning with Wike that Ayu should vacate his position for a southerner to occupy, gave an ultimatum that a southern national chairman must kickstart the party’s presidential campaign which will begin this later this month.
According to the PDP Chieftain, the call for Ayu’s resignation is not malicious but to ensure justice, fairness and equity in the party.
He noted that as a life member of the Board of Trustees of the PDP, the tussle for the party’s chairmanship must be addressed before the 2023 elections.
In his words: “Chairman and the chairman of the board of trustees 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, national chairman must go to the south.
“This is all Governor Wike is saying, and as a lead member of the Board of Trustees of our party, I support this position 100%. Statutory, it is the national chairman who hands over the party’s flag to our presidential candidates, how will party members of the South feel when they see that at all political rallies, southerners have no public political representation.
“This constitutes a fundamental flaw and lack of inclusiveness, which will be diametrically opposed to the original thinking of the founding fathers of our party. Maybe if Ayu had remained perpetually in the party, he would have learnt the ropes much better. Governor Wike is not seen anything out of anger, he is only telling the truth to power.
“That is why the national chairmanship must come gone to the south now as a matter of urgency. We’re not begging for it. We demand it because it is our right.”
In his address, Wike challenged the PDP Chairman to prove himself as a man of honour and fulfil his promise to step down should the northern region produce the presidential candidate.
“Somebody said those of you who said the right thing must be done are boys; they are children. You can imagine what power can do. You can imagine how ingratitude…how people can be ingrates,” he said, faulting Mr Ayu for failing to bring peace to the party.
“Dr Ayu said we are children. Yes, the children brought you to be chairman of the party, the children brought you from the gutter to make you chairman. You were impeached and sacked. Arrogance cannot take you anywhere.”
