By Charles Okogene
Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, who was just elected national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is not one that can be said to have emerged from the blues. Rather, as they say in politics, he has been around for quite some time. He came to the political consciousness of Nigerians in 1992. That was the year he was elected the senate president, the number three citizen of the country, in the option A4 days of military president, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida’s endless transition which culminated in the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election and the resultant crisis.
Before then, he had distinguished himself as a scholar of repute at University of Jos, where he taught sociology. From the ivory towers, he journeyed to the Daily Times of old, before the ownership of the media conglomerate changed hands during the presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo. He was in the Daily Times for the sabbatical leave, an exercise common among university teachers.
While serving his sabbatical at the editorial board of Daily Times, Agidingbi, he mingled and mixed so well with the staff and management of the newspaper company that when he returned to the lecture room, his absence was still felt by all that met him at the editorial board room of the Paper.
It may not be out of place to say that it was during his sabbatical days that his paths with Segun Ayobolu, erstwhile media aide to former Lagos governor, Bola Tinubu, crossed. At the organisation, their relationship grew stronger and it was not surprising to those who knew when after his emergency as senate president, he appointed Ayobolu his media aide.
With his election, he is stepping into the office Barnabas Gemade, who is not only from his zone, but same state, Benue, had earlier occupied. There is no doubt that Ayu, is competent to lead the PDP, to the 2023 elections and beyond.
He is coming with a bagful of experience he gained over the years from the University, the media, senate and the various ministries he served as minister during the regime of General Sani Abacha and President Olusegun Obasanjo.
It is expected that he has all it takes to lead PDP in its current challenging times if he puts his mind to it and discharges his job according to the party’s constitution.
As a party man who has tasted internal party injustice that led him to defection from PDP to the then Action Congress (AC), it is hoped that he will not do what would force others leave the PDP.
Dr. Iyorcha Ayu who was born November 15, 1952, has many publications to his credit.
Okogene, former Editor of Saturday Independent, wrote from Lagos