Wike: Ayu has failed woefully as PDP chair — I support his suspension

Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state, says he supports the suspension of Iyorchia Ayu, national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

TheCable reported that the PDP in Benue state suspended Ayu over alleged anti-party activities.

Ayu’s suspension letter dated March 24 was signed by 12 executive members of Igyorov ward, Gboko LGA of Benue.

The executive members claimed that Ayu worked against the success of the party in the ward during the 2023 general election.

They also alleged that Ayu did not vote in the March 18 governorship and state assembly elections.

Speaking with Channels Television on Monday, Wike said he aligns with the suspension because Ayu contributed to the “failure” of the PDP during polls.

“I am in support of the suspension. In fact, if he (Ayu) had left before now, they would have said that was why the PDP failed the election,” Wike said.

“First of all, if you are a member of the party, will you be happy with the way the party is today? It is only in this country that you see someone who has failed woefully and without any conscience would still like to occupy the position.”

Wike said in advanced countries, leaders of political parties don’t need to be told to “turn in the towel” when they fail.

“Before now, Ayu ought to have left that office. People were saying we were pushing for Ayu to leave and that we had a hidden agenda to make PDP fail,” he said.

“Ayu remained and PDP didn’t win. You lost your unit as national chairman, you lost your ward as national chairman, you lost your local government as national chairman of the party. Not only did you(Ayu’s state) take a distant third in the presidential election, you also lost in the state gubernatorial election.”

Wike has been at loggerheads with Ayu since the presidential primary election of the PDP.

As a precondition for resolving the rift, Wike and his allies demanded that Ayu step down as national chairman of the party.

The crisis remained unsolved as the major opposition party went into the general election.

Although Atiku Abubakar, standard bearer of the PDP, lost the presidential poll, the opposition party won nine states in the governorship elections while the All Progressives Congress (APC) secured victory in 15 states.

The Labour Party (LP) and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) got one state each.

The governorship elections in Kebbi and Adamawa states were declared inconclusive, with reruns expected.