National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Iyorchia Ayu, has questioned the rationale behind calls for bus resignation.
Ayu said his resignation or removal at this time is not feasible as the party has expressed its trust for his leadership.
Ayu is comments is coming after Governor Nyesom Wike’s camp pulled out of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, until the resignation of Ayu.
Wike’s camp had in a resolution read by a former PDP Deputy National Chairman, Bode George, insisted that its members will not work with Atiku until Ayu resigns and allow an acting Chairman from the South to lead the party.
They stressed that their condition was not negotiable as Ayu’s stay as chairman of the party undermines the unity and constitution of the party.
Bode said:
“Senator Iyorchia Ayu must resign as the National Chairman of the party for an acting Chairman of the Southern Nigerian extraction to emerge and lead the party on the national campaign.
“Consequently, we resolve not to participate in the campaign council in whatever capacity until the resignation of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu”.
Reacting to the resolution, Ayu urged Wike and his allies to return to the Presidential Campaign Council for the dake ot peace.
Ayu, who spoke through his Special Assistant (Media), Simon Imobo-Tswam, said the PDP is government by laws, and he was elected through a proper process.
Ayu said;
“How can Iyorchia Ayu step down? The PDP is governed by rules, laws, regulations and conventions. He came through the process of the law and he will leave through the process of the law.
‘’Ayu spoke when he campaigned for this office. He said if a candidate emerges from the North, and the party says he should resign, he will resign. Right now, has the party spoken? Yes. What did the party say? The party gave him a resounding vote of confidence.
“Our appeal is that the party has spoken and it was a vote for unity, a vote for togetherness and purpose. Let us give peace a chance so that we can fight the battle in front of us to displace APC from office.
“As the chairman has said, the confidence vote was not a personal victory. It was a victory of all. It is a win-win for the party. He has appealed that let party faithful focus on the big picture of 2023.
“It is an appeal that we come back on one page. If we lose this election, Nigerians will not be happy with PDP. Since the PDP left office, the country has been going downhill.
“We are still appealing. There is a phrase that says ‘What God cannot do, does not exist’ and we are saying ‘what diplomacy cannot achieve does not exist.’ That is what we are saying. Let them come back, so that we can win the election. In an election year, you need everybody. That is our message.”
