Ignorant, illiterate ward excos can’t suspend me — PDP Chairman, Ayu
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Dr Iyorchia Ayu has reacted to his alleged suspension from the party by the executive committee of his Ward.
He said the executive committee of his ward does not have the power to suspend him from the party.
The national chairman on Monday March 27 those who suspended him were ignorant of the laws of the party and illiterates.
He made this revelation in a statement released by his media aide, Simon Imobo-Tswam.
He said some of the ward executive committee members were being monitored and coersed by those he referred to as political gamblers “to cause mischief and nothing more”.
He condemned the suspension and said the resolution was written by “illiterates” and that some others were forced to sign the resolution.
The national chairman of the party said only the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) can suspend him.
He added that some of the executive committee members who declined to sign the resolution were confined in an unknown location in Makurdi, the capital of the state.
He described the resolution and those behind it as fraudulent.
“The purported suspension is, therefore, an exercise in futility as it derives its strength majorly from gross illiteracy, ignorance, gambling and desperation. It has only mischief, drama and propaganda value”, Ayu declared.
“We wish to state categorically and with all emphasis at our disposal thus:
“For starters, Article 57(7) of the PDP Constitution as Amended in 2017 expressly prohibits any organ of the party or executive committee of the party at the Ward or State Level from taking any disciplinary measure against any member of the party’s National Executive Committee.
“The purported suspension is, therefore, an exercise in futility as it derives its strength majorly from gross illiteracy, ignorance, gambling and desperation. It has only mischief, drama and propaganda value.
“But more than this, the so-called suspension letter was written by an illiterate before hand, and only given to the coerced members to sign somewhere in Makurdi.
“This is why the original date is tipexed and 24 March imposed on it. And this is also why it states that the presidential/NASS and Governorship/State Assembly elections held on 25th and 18th March, 2023 respectively.
“From what we know, the document itself is fraudulent as the signatures of the Ward Executives were forged or obtained under duress.
“The (Ward) chairman, his deputy and legal adviser didn’t sign. The 14th person on the list didn’t sign too. She was at NKST Ambighir for the Holy Communion.
“In fact, the same applies for Nos. 5, 8 and 16. At the time they were supposed to be in Makurdi with the other coerced, intimidated and induced members of the Exco, they were actually in their villages, going about their normal businesses”.
“Up till now, about nine members of the Ward Exco are still being held hostage in a location in Makurdi for obvious reasons. And expectedly, their mobile numbers have been switched off. It is instructive.
“The general public is hereby advised to ignore rumours to this heinous effect. Those behind the plot are only investing in expensive illusions”.
The Benue State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has suspended the national chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu over alleged anti-party activities.
The Informant247 understands that the national chairman of the main opposition party is from Benue State.
The suspension letter dated March 24, 2023 was signed by 12 executive members of Igyorov ward of Gboko LGA, Benue state.
The letter stated that the national chairman did not work for the success of the party in Igyorov ward in the 2023 general election.
The party also accused the chairman of not casting his vote during the March 18 governorship and state assembly elections.
“We the underlisted are ward executive members of Igyorov ward, Gboko local government,” the letter reads.
“Having reviewed the conduct of the presidential and national assembly elections as well as the governorship and state house of assembly elections held on the February 25 and March 18 2023 respectively, we observed with utmost dismay that Iyorchia Ayu, who is the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), worked against the success of the party in Igyorov council ward.
“It is on record that he has also failed to pay his annual subscription fees as provided under section 8 subsection 9 of the constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 2017 (as amended).
“Further investigation also revealed that he did not vote during the governorship and state assembly elections held on March 18.
“It was also discovered that most of his closest allies worked for the opposition party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) and hence, the abysmal performance of the PDP in Igyorov ward.
“In view of the foregoing, we hereby pass a vote of no confidence on Dr. Iyorchia Ayu and suspend him as a member of our party with immediate effect. The suspension takes effect from March 24, 2023.”
This came days after the national leadership of the party under the chairmanship of Ayu referred the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom to a disciplinary committee over alleged anti-party activities.
The Informant247 recalls that Ortom was one of the G-5 governors who called for the removal of Ayu, in the build up to the February 25 presidential election, because he (Ayu) was from the same region as the presidential candidate of the party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
The Governors declared that the removal of Ayu would serve as their precondition to support Atiku.
