PDP crisis: Nobody can remove me — National Chairman Ayu

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Iyorcha Ayu, has said that no one can remove him from office.

Ayu spoke against the backdrop of the demand for his resignation by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.

This stemmed from the crisis arising from the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the party for the 2023 elections.

Wike, like some other governors elected on the platform of the party and some national leaders, are insisting that it is grave injustice to have both the National Chairman and presidential candidate from the North.

They therefore have demanded for the resignation of Ayu.

But speaking through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Yusuf Dingyadi, Ayu said nobody was capable of removing him from office amid the crisis.

Dingyadi, who spoke with newsmen in Katsina, said: “There was a National Convention of the party where Ayu was elected as National Chairman and he is currently in his first year in office.

“Nobody can remove him except through the process of another National Convention.

“What Ayu is after is winning elections for the party and not about the position of chairman.

“What we have in the PDP is an in-house crisis, which will be settled amicably.

“The party has internal mechanisms for resolving its problems and we have already resolved virtually all the problems confronting our party because there is a vote of confidence by all organs of the party.

“He is expected to continue with the good work he has started for the party to effectively reach our target to enable us have a smooth victory in 2023 when we will take over power from the APC.

“The PDP is one family and by the Grace of God we are going into the elections in 2023 as a united party.

“Nobody will change our destiny to win the presidential election and governorship elections and all other elective positions in 2023.”

Dingyadi said that the “pepper” statement credited to Wike “was not targeted at the PDP.

“He was probably talking about the APC (All Progressives Congress).

“Wike is one of the most respected members of the PDP and you should know that the APC is working tirelessly to create confusion within the PDP.

“We have had similar problems in the past and they were resolved.

“The PDP has been around since 1999 and it has never changed its name or colour.

“All party members should always accept decisions of its elders and the National Working Committee and the leaders.

“Nobody in the party is higher than the National Chairman and we must show him our respect.”