Several weeks after the congresses and primaries of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and ahead of the February 2023 presidential election, a PDP watchdog and advocacy group, the Concerned PDP League (CPDPL) is insisting on and maintaining the call for the National Chairman, Sen. Dr. Iyorchia Ayu to resign with immediate effect and handover party functions to the National Deputy Chairman South, Ambassador, Alhaji Taofeek Oladejo Arapaja.
Also on the resignation demand list are the National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, and National Organizing Secretary, Hon. Umar Muhammed Bature.
The CPDPL said in a statement yesterday that they will henceforth cease to recognise Sen. Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as the National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The statement was signed by the Leader of the PDP Watch Dog, (Concerned Peoples Democratic Party League (CPDPL), Comrade Daboikiabo Z. Warmate, General Secretary, Alhaji Tasiu M. Muhammad, and the Director of Media and Advocacy, Comrade Rashidat N. Abubakar, and called on all party patriots to boycott party activities forthwith, in demonstration of their rejection of Ayu’s shortchanging southern PDP members (Sittingtism), incompetence and impunity and provision of poor opposition leadership. Adding that Ayu’s resignation must be the first step towards rescuing and taking back our great party before taking back our great country, from the clapped-out President Buhari APC administration.
Citing party tradition and some relevant and fundamental sections and sub-sections as contained in the PDP and Nigerian Constitution which specified the principle of federal character and equality, fairness, and justice, the CPDPL emphasises therefore that, “the group struggle is to end injustice, impunity, and incompetence and to ensure that our great party, the PDP act right at every given point in time so that the party can provide a great model of exemplary leadership that would win hearts and minds of Nigerians at home and those in the diaspora. Thus, the PDP earning the right to be called the party of government in waiting. This is the essence of why as the PDP watchdog, we did not support any aspirants during the primaries”, Comrade Warmat stated. He said that “available intelligence at our disposal indicates that most PDP members in southern and northern empathisers would quietly vote against Atiku, without necessarily leaving the party, if Sen. Ayu continues to be pigheaded and refused to step down in the interest of our Nation in general and our great party in particular”.
“The National Chairman is undoubtedly becoming an impediment to the agility and tactical direction of our party to prosecute the case against the failed APC government. After jettisoning the zoning of the presidency to the South, Sen. Ayu is now attempting to deny the chairmanship of the party to the South. Sen. Ayu’s Sittightism is proof of his insensitivity, disdain, and disrespect to PDP members from the Southern flank of Nigeria”.
The group gave two reasons for deciding not to recognize Dr. Ayu as the National Chairman of the PDP, and Dr. Ayu is not any different from the Oyo State Deputy Governor who decamped from the party but refuse to resign. The CPDPL reason is twofold; 1. Monumental failure of the National Chairman 2. And that, the North had produced our party’s Presidential flag bearer, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and that it’s only fair and just for the Chairman of the party to go to the South and without further ado.
Further, the CPDPL cataloged the National Chairman’s alleged errors and maladministration including privatization and commercialization of the party electoral/candidacy nomination process, i.e, hijacking of the ward and LGA congress committee, manipulation of national and state delegates list, tickets were given to the highest bidders, and unjustly disqualifying qualified aspirants while clearing those with dubious and questionable characters, qualifications and expired loyalty to the party, serving APC Senator, Muhammadu Danjuma Goja name allegedly appeared on PDP ballot paper for Gombe State PDP Senatorial Primary as well as Lights going off while a presidential aspirant was addressing the National Working Committee (NWC). The party leadership could not even fuel the generator until the meeting is finished.
In conclusion, therefore, the CPDPL anchored its opposition to Sen. Ayu’s continuous leadership on grounds of incompetence, impunity, undemocratic decisions, poor opposition leadership, and the North producing the National Chairman, BOT Chairman as well as the Presidential flag bearer of the party. Thus, it is imperative that the National Chairmanship should go to the South as a matter of urgency and in the interest of justice, fairness and equity.
The followings extracts are from former PDP Chieftains who adduced their reasons for leaving the party:
His Excellency, Most distinguished Sen. Eyennaya H. Abaribe, gave ‘illegality, impunity, and hesitations in decision-making as reasons for dumping the PDP. “This development is consequent upon the shameful display of illegality, impunity and undemocratic decision of the party”.
His Excellency, chief, Segun Oni, I defected to SDP because of the fraud in PDP.
Prince Deji Adeyanju described his former party, the PDP as the “Peoples Dollar Party”(PDP) and Papa Deceiving Pikin (PDP). I believe Ayu is working for APC. There can be no other explanation.”Iyorcha Ayu is running a Bureau De Change in Wadata Plaza & not a political party. With such a man as the opposition party chairman, they are guaranteed defeat. This is the most corrupt NWC PDP has ever had. They sold every single ticket. The real buying & selling is on Saturday”.
The current NWC of PDP is too corrupt & useless. They should be disbanded immediately to save the party. If not by 12pm on election day, APC would have won the election already.
“The brazen criminality by Ayu’s NWC is unbelievable. Dollars at work. I’m sure they have already assigned Ebonyi delegates to someone who paid maximum dollars. Irreparable damage has been done to the PDP by this NWC. The party cannot win the 2023 election. Iyorcha Ayu & his NWC members are destroying the PDP. Key members are leaving the party already. There is an Exodus out of PDP in the South East due to bad congresses and blatant imposition & undemocratic practices, especially by Sam Anyanwu, the National Secretary & the NOS. Imagine how heartless & unreasonable Ayu and his dollars-hungry folks are, and they couldn’t even leave Anambra for a candidate so popular as Peter Obi. They imposed a fraudulent process delegate on the state.
Hon. Osita Chidoka, Abuja, May 2022Why I will Not Attend The PDP National Convention…Strangely the committee submitted a report and fake result for Idemili North LGA with the name of someone that did not purchase the form for the congress. I waited till yesterday Friday 27th May for the Party NWC to sit on the petition to no avail instead the Party went ahead and published the name from the fake result as National Delegate.
Barr. Mukhtari Shehu Shagari said, “I wish to bring to your notice that I, Mukhtari Shehu Shagari has from today ceased to be a member of the Peoples Democratic Party.” He said that the party “deceitfully claims to be a bastion of democracy but has instead become a party of the highest bidder”, and “ the so-called Peoples Democratic Party has no reward system regardless of one’s loyalty and faithfulness. It is my conviction that the ideals of the founding fathers of the Peoples Democratic Party have been completely eroded and is not worthy to be called a Democratic Party”.
The political cost of the national chairman Sittightism will be disastrous for the party if nothing is done. The above statements are just a pinch of what Nigerians think about PDP under Ayu’s watch. In fact, what happened in Ekiti state will be the faith of PDP, party leaders betrayed the party and PDP eventually lost the election taking the third position shamefully, the group said.
Signed:
Comrade Daboikiabo Z. Warmate, Leader
Alhaji Tasiu M. Muhammad, General Secretary
Comrade Rashidat N. Abubakar, Director of Media and Advocacy
