The National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, has called it quits.
This is as the party’s Deputy National Chairman, (North), Umar Iliya Damagum, took over immediately.
Damagum will assume office as the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, pending the determination of the case in court.
A High Court in Makurdi, the Benue state capital, had, yesterday, March 27, restrained Dr. Ayu from parading himself as chairman of the party pending the determination of the substantive suit which has been adjourned to April 17, 2023 for hearing.
A member of the PDP from Benue, Terhide Utaan, who is the plaintiff before Justice W. I Kpochi, obtained the order restraining Ayu from parading himself as national chairman of the party.
Addressing journalists in Makurdi after obtaining the court order, Dr. Ayu said that following the suspension of Ayu by his Igyorov Ward Exco on Sunday, it would be wrong for him to keep up with the office of national chairman and further disunite the party.
He had earlier been suspended for anti-party activities in the wake of the party’s loss in the presidential election.
But in a Monday statement by his media aide, Simon Imobo-Tswam, Ayu argued that the ward lacked the powers to suspend him.
Ayu’s political rival in the PDP and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike on Monday, said he is elated that Benue State ward exco passed a vote of no confidence in him.
“I am not from Benue State, but I am happy, and now that Benue State has done it, we would now come out and say we are in support of it.”
Prior to this development, there had been intense calls for Ayu to step aside for a Southerner to take over as the Chairman of the party.
Source: Vanguard.
