Ayu, PDP chair, stands down

Iyorchia Ayu, the party’s beleaguered national chairman, has been removed from his post by the Peoples Democratic Party, or PDP.

Ayu was replaced by Amb. Umar Damagum, one of Ayu’s subordinates, by the PDP leadership.

This information can be found in a statement released on Tuesday by the PDP’s national publicity secretary, Debo Ologunagba.

In accordance with Section 45 (2) of the PDP Constitution (as revised in 2017), the party, according to Ologunagba, decided that the Deputy National Chairman (North), His Excellency, Amb. Umar Ililya Damagum, takes the National Chairmanship of our Party in an acting capacity.

The Order of the Benue State High Court, dated March 27, 2023, regarding the Chairmanship position of our great party was recognised by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in an urgent meeting held today, Tuesday, March 28, 2023.

An excerpt from the statement read, “After careful consideration of the Court Order and in accordance with Section 45 (2) of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017), the NWC resolved that the Deputy National Chairman (North), His Excellency, Amb. Umar Ililya Damagum assumes the National Chairmanship of our Party in an acting capacity with effect from today, Tuesday, March 28, 2023.

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Due to suspected anti-party conduct and unpaid membership dues, the Benue PDP Ward Executive Committee suspended Ayu.

After Ayu’s suspension, a party member from Benue named Terhide Utaan successfully petitioned before Judge W. I. Kpochi of the State High Court to have Ayu’s right to represent himself as the party’s national chairman revoked.

He insisted that it would deepen confusion if Ayu kept his position as PDP chair, and that this was why it was incorrect.

However, keep in mind that Ayu came under pressure to resign as the party’s chairman in the run-up to the general elections in 2023.

He was constantly called upon to resign by a group of governors in the party known as G5, including Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.

The G5 stated that since Ayu is also from northern Nigeria and Atiku Abubakar, the party’s presidential candidate, is from the south, Ayu should make way for a southerner to win the presidency.