Wike and loyalists quit as Atiku backs Ayu not to resign
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike and those sympathetic to his cause for justice have resigned their membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) over the refusal of National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu to resign.
They want Ayu to resign for a Southerner to take his place and help balance the power structure in the party dominated by Northerners.
Team Wike met at his country home in Obio-Akpor till the early hours of Wednesday and vowed not to participate in the campaign of PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar until Ayu delivers on his original promise to resign.
Those at the meeting included PDP founding members, Governors, former Ministers and other party grandees who made their position known in a resolution read by former Deputy National Chairman (South) Bode George.
“Senator Iyorchia Ayu must resign as the National Chairman of the party for an acting Chairman of the Southern Nigerian extraction to emerge and lead the party on the national campaign.
“Consequently, we resolve not to participate in the campaign council in whatever capacity until the resignation of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu,” George said.
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Jang accuses Ayu of being a bad referee
The aggrieved PDP members accused Ayu of compromising the presidential primary in May through his conduct, per The Nation.
They said they support Wike because of equity and justice, not because he lost the presidential primary or because Atiku did not choose him as running mate.
Oyo Governor Seyi Makinde said: “We hope that the powers that be listen to the voice of reason and do the needful.”
Former Plateau Governor Jonah Jang likened Ayu to a bad referee, who assisted one side to score a goal and blew the whistle.
“For a National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, to go and embrace Sokoto Governor Aminu Tambuwal calling him the hero of the convention meant that there was a private arrangement that was done with Tambuwal to shortchange other contestants including Governor Wike.
“Here was a referee, who helped one of his sides to score a goal and then blew the whistle. This is not what we formed the PDP to do for Nigerians. Therefore, we unequivocally ask that Ayu must step down.”
Former Information Minister Jerry Gana said the PDP must restructure itself to be credible in the eyes of Nigerians.
“You cannot build on a faulty foundation. This call for the Chairman to step down or resign is not because any of us is aggrieved but because we believe it is important to ensure a just, fair, principled and constitutional structure for the party.
“If we want to restructure Nigeria, we should have the courage to restructure our party,” he stressed.
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