The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu has said that the Executive Committee of his Ward cannot suspend him from his position.
Recalled that the PDP Executive Committee of Igyorov Ward in the Gboko local government area of Benue State had on Sunday suspended him from office having conducted a confidence vote passed on him by the Ward executive.
The Ward leadership said Ayu had participated in anti-party activities during the election that led to the loss of the PDP at the national and state levels.
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They also accused him of failing to pay his annual dues as required by the PDP constitution.
Reacting on Monday, Ayu labeled those who were suspended as illiterates who were ignorant of the provisions of the PDP constitution.
In a statement on Monday signed on his behalf by his media aide, Simon Imobo-Tswam, Ayu said:
“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.
“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 beforehand, and only given to the coerced members to sign somewhere in Makurdi.
“This is why the original date is tipped 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.”
The statement added that some of the Exco members who refused to sign the resolution were being held hostage in an unnamed location in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
It added:
“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“
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