Atiku to Wike: I can’t force Ayu to quit as PDP chair

The Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has told Governor Nyesom Wike and team that nobody can force the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Iyorcha Ayu, to resign.

Atiku spoke on Wednesday against the backdrop of the announcement by Wike’s team to withdraw participation in the party’s Presidential Campaign Council until Ayu’s resignation.

Addressing the media in Port Harcourt earlier on Wednesday, Wike and his team including serving and former governors announced their withdrawal from the Atiku’s Campaign Council.

Governor Seyi Makinde, ex-Governors Ayo Fayose, Jonah Jang, Segun Mimiko, Ibrahim Dankwabo, and Donald Duke; Chief Bode George, Prof Jerry Gana and others were at the Port Harcourt meeting.

In his response to the demand, the former vice president declared that he can’t force Ayu to quit office as national chairman.

Atiku told Wike and his team that Ayu’s resignation is a personal choice of the chairman.

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His words: “As to the calls for the removal of Dr. Ayu from office, however, I will state that, as a committed democrat and firm believer in the rule of law and democratic tenets, and our party being one set up, organized and regulated by law and our constitution, it is my absolute belief that every thing that we do in our party must be done in accordance with, and conformity to, the law and our constitution.

“If Dr. Ayu is to be removed from office, it must be done in accordance with the laws that set out the basis for such removal. In any event, you will all recall that the very body that is empowered by law to initiate this removal from office, has already passed a vote of confidence in him.”

The Star