Wike mocks Ayu over removal as PDP chair, says ‘I told him he’ll go’

Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, has reacted to the removal of Iyorchia Ayu as the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).  

On Tuesday, the PDP national working committee (NWC) appointed Umar Damagum as the party’s acting national chairman.

The PDP appointed Damagum about 24 hours after a high restrained Ayu from presiding over the party’s affairs.

Speaking at the inauguration of phase one of the Trans-Kalabari road in Degema LGA, Wike said he told Ayu that he would be removed.

“You see how God works? All those people who were plotting evil against us, they are now the ones suffering it,” Wike said.

“So, if you do anything, I’ll pepper you. Do you see how I peppered them now? Are they not the ones suffering it now? Ayu said nobody can suspend him but today he has packed up from the office.

“We have an acting chairman now. I told him: You (Ayu) will go. Whether you like it or not, you will go.”

Wike said it was wrong to assert that only the national executive committee (NEC) of the party has the power to suspend a national chairman.

There have been calls for Ayu’s removal after the presidential primary election of the party in 2022.

In August 2022, TheCable reported that the G5 governors demanded that Ayu should resign as a precondition to back Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the PDP.

The party’s leadership crisis persisted into the general election. On Sunday, the PDP in Benue state suspended Ayu over alleged anti-party activities.

The 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 elections.

A day later, a high court in Benue granted an interim order restraining him from functioning as the party’s leader.