Ayu to Ortom, Wike: I’ve power to stop any candidate from contesting

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Iyorchia Ayu, has said no member of the party can remove him from his position.

Ayu, who has been at loggerheads with Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and his allies, including the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, equally stated that he has the powers to stop those calling for his removal from realising their political ambitions on the platform of the PDP ahead of the 2023 general election.

The former Senate President and Ortom both hail from Benue State and the governor is vying for the North West senatorial seat in the National Assembly on the platform of the PDP.

Governor Ortom and his allies have since been calling for the removal of Ayu as a condition to campaign for the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, stressing that the PDP chairman should step down for a southerner.

However, Ayu, while addressing some members of the main opposition party on his arrival at his home in Gboko, Benue State on Friday, said he has the power to stop Ortom and other candidates vying on the platform of the PDP from achieving their ambitions if he decides to reciprocate the attacks on him from some quarters.

The PDP chairman, who said he has been silent over the attacks on him because “I don’t want any crack in the party I belong in my state”, however, said he would not react by stopping the candidates from realising their ambitions in 2023.

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He said: “I have the powers to say you and you will not go anywhere, because I will insist that I must sign before you go anywhere. But I have signed for all candidates produced by the PDP to go ahead in their dreams. Whether I like it or not I signed.

“So I was doing that believing that I cannot shoot myself in the leg. I want Benue to come first by winning all elections so that Nigerians will say that the national chairman has delivered his state to PDP with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar winning 90 per cent of the votes and Titus Uba as governor in 2023. Nothing should worry you, my people.

“Since I started politics more than 30 years ago, you have never rejected me, you are always supporting me. They say a prophet has no respect in his home, but my case is different. I am overwhelmed by this great show of love.

“The PDP is one and not divided. I am trying my best not to disappoint the Benue people and Nigerians in general. So if you hear that they want to chase Ayu out as national chairman, don’t be worried; nobody is going to sack me as national chairman of our party.

“I will leave the seat on a day that God permits. It is God that enthrones leadership. He uses people to enthrone a person over others and protects that person. I want to assure you that all these days, God has been protecting me.

“Even when I went on sick leave abroad, God is still protecting me. The Tiv people have suffered so much in this country,” Ayu stated.

The former senator further urged the people of Benue State to support Atiku ahead of the 2023 general election, saying the former Vice President has good plans for the state.

The Star