By Olusegun Olanrewaju
A gale of discordant tunes over the sack of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, is rupturing peace in the political fold.
Signs are emerging that the peace talks between the presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar, and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, may be heading for the rock as the governor’s camp is still insisting that the National Chairman of the party must go.
While the Wike’s camp has not shifted its grounds on Ayu’s exit, the party appears to have taken a position that the National Chairman should remain in office.
According to the projections by the party, it will be risky removing an incumbent chairman during an electioneering period, besides, the issue of trust may not be easily established.
A party source told ThisNigeria yesterday that the Ayu forces are keeping close tabs with the presidential candidate not to concede relinquishing the incumbent national chairman, as part of the peace pact.
Former vice-president Atiku had on several occasions insisted that Ayu should remain as national chairman of the party, but the Wike camp and other party stalwarts have consistently insisted that Ayu could no longer occupy the position for the sake of equity.
But after the face-to-face meeting in London last week, it was learnt that a few agreements were arrived at between Atiku and Wike. Part of the agreement, ThisNigeria learnt, was that Ayu should be given a dignified exit and accommodated in the new PDP government if the party wins the 2023 presidential election.
The Wike camp equally extracted a commitment from Atiku to be allowed to produce Ayu’s replacement and that the person should be from the South West region. Already, a former governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, is said to be fingered to take up the job.
*No deal if Ayu doesn’t go, says Rivers gov’s camp
Following the outcome of the London meeting, sources close to Wike’s camp said yesterday that there will be no deal if Ayu is allowed to remain as the party’s national chairman.
The source said, “We cannot allow this to continue to drag. The earlier it is sorted the better for the party. Ayu must go, otherwise, there is no deal.”
*No, he can’t go- pro-PDP chairman’s group
But there is a twist as the leadership of PDP is still sticking to Ayu.
Officially, the PDP has restated confidence in the national chairman. The party’s spokesman, Debo Ologunagba, stated this recently after a meeting between the National Working Committee (NWC) and former national, state, and zonal publicity secretaries.
This ‘vote of confidence on the chairman came amid the crisis rocking the party and calls for his sack or resignation.
Amid the confusion, a socio-political group, under the aegis of “Benue Advocates for Good Governance” (BAGG), yesterday threw its weight behind Ayu, saying those calling for his resignation are “victims of their ignorance”.
While lauding Ayu’s courageous leadership, the group opined that Ayu’s decision to stay on as PDP national chairman was “practical, courageous and constitutional.”
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The group made its position known in a statement jointly issued by its national coordinator, Terngu Aze, and its publicity secretary, Taiyol Abraham.
The group’s reaction emanated against the backdrop of calls by some party members for Ayu to resign because the presidential candidate of the party is from the north.
The statement said, among others, that, “We stand by the decision of the PDP National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, to stay on in the office. It is a decision that is borne out of courage, pragmatism, and constitutionalism.”
It added, “In fact, we make bold to say those calling for his resignation are not only sponsored agents of destabilisation, but they are also victims of their ignorance. Besides, how can you say you want peace, and you come to the table with preconditions?
“They said Ayu must resign for them before they can discuss, is that how to seek peace? The condition by Dr Ayu to swap all positions of members of the National Working Committee (NWC) from the South with those from the North is a patriotic, selfless, and informed one.”
The coordinator advised all camps “to eschew bitterness and be ready to make sacrifices to forge a common front to defeat the APC in the 2023 general election.”
Wike had been setting the nerves of the opposition party on the edge after he became aggrieved over his defeat at the primary and the choice of Delta state Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as the PDP vice presidential candidate in the coming 2023 general elections.
