Ayu: Those calling for my resignation are children — I won’t step down

Iyorchia Ayu, national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has described persons calling for his resignation as “children”. 

Ayu has been under pressure of late, with calls for his resignation coming from different quarters amid the party’s internal crisis.

TheCable had reported how allies of Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, demanded that the PDP national chairman should step down — as a precondition for resolving the rift with Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate.

Some members of the party’s national working committee national (NWC) are also said to be pushing for a probe of the party’s finances under Ayu’s watch.

Crisis broke out in the main opposition party after Abubakar picked Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta, as his running mate for the 2023 elections, overlooking Wike who was recommended by a panel comprising NWC members and governors.

Wike came second to Abubakar in the PDP presidential primary election in May after the last-minute withdrawal of Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto, who asked his supporters to back the former vice-president.

A day after the primary election, Ayu openly celebrated Atiku’s victory, describing Tambuwal as “the hero of the convention”.

Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa on Wednesday, Ayu said he is not bothered by the calls for his resignation. 

“I was voted as PDP chairman for a four-year tenure and I am yet to complete a year. Atiku’s victory doesn’t affect the chairman’s position. I won my election based on our party’s constitution,” he said. 

“I didn’t commit any offence. I’m only reforming the party so I’m not bothered with all the noises. I know I’m doing my work and I didn’t steal any money so I see no reason for all these talks. 

“When we started the PDP journey, we did not see these children. They are children who do not know why we established this party.

“We will not allow one person to come and destroy our party.”