Ahead of the 2023 general elections and the Thursday National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of PDP, the main but docile opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is still at war with itself over the geopolitical imbalance of party and public offices which does not favour the south and the call for the National Chairman, senator, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu to resign.
The Concerned PDP League has warned that the continuous stay of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as the National Chairman of PDP will resonate with the 2015 electoral misfortune of the party.
The group denounced and dismissed a former lawmaker, representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Senator Dino Melaye’s statement that “it’s too late to call for Ayu’s removal and that for now, it is very premature and we cannot commit abortion”. On the contrary, the CPDPL position is that it’s not too late and the abortion will be very safe and painless to undertake.
The Leader of CPDPL, Comrade Warmate said that “it seems we need to refresh Sen. Dino Melaye’s memories of the numbers of both safe and unsafe abortions the PDP has committed.”
“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was registered as a political on 31 August 1998. In the 23 years of the party’s existence, PDP has produced, 1 protem chairman, 10 substantive chairmen, 4 acting chairmen, and 2 caretaker chairmen, totaling 17 chairmen. From, Dr. Alex Ekwueme (protem chairman, 1998) to Chief Solomon Lar, (Pioneer elected substantive chairman, 1998 – 1999), up to Senator, Dr. Iyorchai Ayu (Substantive chairman, December 10, 2021 – to date).”
“PDP has committed 10 both safe and unsafe abortion out of the seventeen 17 National Chairmen it has produced. Chief Solomon Lar as the pioneer chairman of PDP was barely a year into his tenure before he was asked to resign, and Prince Uche Secondus was barely four months away from completing his tenure before he was removed. So what’s premature or too late about the call for Ayu to go now?” Warmate asserted.
Comrade Warmate said, “given that the South has been patient from the 10th of December, 2021, to date, but that the North has kept both the BoT Chairman and National Chairman of the party since 29th of May, 2022, to date, has now added the Presidential flag bearer of the party the growing hegemony.
Comrade Warmate said, “why can’t the North also be patient with the South for the next five months and impressed on the National Chairman and the Deputy National Chairman to resign so that the South can produce the Acting National Chairman and the National Secretary”.
The CPDPL Leader suggested that “the NEC should disband the National Working Committee (NWC) or ask them to resign, and set up a Caretaker Committee with a Southerner as chairman and Northerner as Secretary to pilot the affairs of the party until after the presidential election. The party can then hold a special national convention after the election. That’s what I call the doctrine of necessity. It was used against the constitution to throw the presidential ticket open, so it can also be used in this instance to break the current impasse.”
So the claim by Sen. Dino Melaye that there will be a Constitutional crisis if Ayu should go now is a big fat ugly lie to protect personal interests and sectional hegemony.
However, comrade warmate said that the South must produce the National Chairman either in acting, caretaking, or substantive capacity.
Comrade Warmate reminded the PDP leaders of the case instituted against the party in the Federal High Court, Abuja wIth suite No. FCT/959/2020/ demanding for PDP deregistration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the party’s inability to pay the professional legal fee of two hundred and sixty million naira (260,000,000) to Professor Yemi Oke SAN and his firm, MJS Partners for services that were rendered.
Our great party is bigger than one man or woman. It is high time Dr. Ayu step aside so that our great and wonderful party will have the chance to fight a united and effective campaign.
#AyuMustGo
See the list of PDP chairmen and their tenure below:
1 .Dr. Alex Ekwueme (protem chairman, 1998) to Chief Solomon Lar, (Pioneer elected substantive chairman, 1998 – 1999), 2. Chief Barnabas Gemade (substantive chairman, 1999 – 2001), 3. Chief Audu Ogbeh (substantive chairman, 2001 – 2005 January), 4. Col. Ahmadu Ali (substantive chairman, 2 March, 2005 – 2008), 5. Prince Vincent Ogbulafor (substantive chairman , 2008 – 2010), 6. Dr. Ezekwesilieze Nwodo (substantive/best chairman, 2010 – 2011), 7. Dr. Haliru Bello Mohammed (Acting Capacity, 2011 – 2011 July), 8. Alhaji Kawu Baraje (Acting Capacity, 2011 – 2012 March), 9. Alhaji Bamanga Tukur (substantive chairman, 2012 – 2014), 10. Alhaji Adamu Mu’ azu (Substantive chairman, January 2014 – May 20 l, 2015), 11. Prince Uche Secondus (Acting Capacity, May 20, 2015 – February 2016), 12. Senator Ali Modu Sheriff (CTC Chairman, February2016 – May 20, 2016), 13. Senator Ahmed M. Makarfi (CTC Chairman, May 21, 2016 – December 10, 2017), 14. Prince Uche Secondus (Substantive Chairman, December 10, 2017 – August 26, 2021), 15. Elder Yemi Akinwonmi (Acting Capacity, August 26, 2021 – December 10, 2021), and 16. Senator, Dr. Iyorchai Ayu (Substantive chairman, December 10, 2021 – todate).
