The Peoples Democratic Party has said it is possible to remove its national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu through a mini-convention.
The party disclosed this toThe PUNCHagainst the backdrop of the demands by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike; former PDP Board of Trustees Chairman, Bode George, and other aggrieved governors that Ayu must resign before the commencement of the campaign.
However, the party via its National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN, and the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said a mini-convention was achievable but not feasible before the campaign.The main opposition party had been enmeshed in crisis since the emergence of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate.
The party, however, stressed that it was not considering such a move because it is focused on its preparations for the campaign scheduled to begin on September 28, 2022.Share on Telegram Honourable Kelechi Nwogu, a Rivers State House of Assembly member, representing Omuma State Constituency has declared that Rivers State People Democratic Party members have taken their decision to stand with their governor, Nyesom Wike, on which way to go in the 2023 presidential election.Igbos Shouldn’t Waste Votes On Peter Obi, He Has No Structure To Win 2023 Presidency – Orji Uzor Kalu September 20, 2022 News According to Kalu, Obi does not have the kind of structure that can give him victory in the election.Shaibu was reacting to the action of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and his team that backed out of the campaign Council of Atiku.
The party disclosed this to The PUNCH against the backdrop of the demands by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike; former PDP Board of Trustees Chairman, Bode George, and other aggrieved governors that Ayu must resign before the commencement of the campaign. However, the party via its National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN, and the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said a mini-convention was achievable but not feasible before the campaign. He was emphatic in a chat with our reporter that whatever their leader, Wike decides is in the interest of the Rivers people and the PDP family in the State would toe the line. The main opposition party had been enmeshed in crisis since the emergence of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate. He, therefore, urged people not to waste their votes on Obi. Atiku’s decision to choose Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as his running mate over Wike reportedly created a schism in the party with Wike and his allies calling for the removal of Ayu over alleged imbalance in the leadership of the party. For us as Rivers people, we have a leader whose words can be taken to the bank and whose directives cannot be jettisoned by a true member of the PDP. Last week, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, also restated the demand for Ayu’s removal during a meeting with Atiku in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. He is not an ethnic jingoist.
But responding to the demand, Ajibade noted that the time was too short to remove the embattled chairman considering the fact that the campaigns would commence in less than nine days. Nyesom Wike has made his position known to Nigerians and the whole world that Rivers people would not support any presidential candidate that takes them for granted,” he said. Kalu said since he belongs to the APC, he is bound to vote for the presidential candidate of the party, Bola Tinubu. The senior advocate also submitted that the crisis in the party could worsen if Ayu stepped down as he would still be replaced by someone from his geo-political zone. Ajibade said, ‘’Nobody says it’s not achievable, but at least you know it’s constitutional. In due time, the Governor shall speak to us as to where to channel our political will because we have a very strong political will. You know that going by our constitution, going by article 47/ 6, if Ayu steps down, somebody from his zone is coming to step in and that person has to be the national vice chairman, north and it will even be worse if the national vice chairman were to step in as the deputy national vice chairman, north is from the same zone with the candidate himself.” He insisted that he will support his party’s presidential candidate. “On what Chief Bode George said, maybe you need to ask him how it is possible before 28 September because if he has a way that it can be achieved, that will require a mini-convention, where offices have to be swapped. It is also important that I use this medium to buttress the call for the resignation of the National Chairman of the PDP in the interest of peace and equity,” he added. No.
The mini-convention will not be possible before September 28.’’ While admitting that the party’s National Executive Committee could effect the PDP chairman’s removal, the legal adviser noted that the time was too short for such a venture. He also assured me he wouldn’t leave the party, regardless of what happened. But we have to do it with other Nigerians. ‘’But in my own opinion, if the NEC chooses at all costs to make it possible, that will be achieved. Nobody will hold anybody. Sadly for him, his colleague from Sokoto State, Governor Aminu Tambuwal withdrew from the race and urged his delegate supporters to vote for Atiku. Considering the circumstances surrounding the timeframe between now and September 28, I really doubt if it is achievable. “So, it is not personal. It’s about looking at the big picture; looking at Nigeria and looking at the sufferings of the masses, and looking at even the PDP.
But as the legal adviser, I don’t know how to achieve that. The Rivers Governor felt hard done by with Atiku’s victory in the primaries, but his ego was bruised when his neighbour in the South-South was picked to be the vice presidential candidate. They are talking of balancing; is that not right?,’’ he said. Recalling how a similar crisis was handled in the past, the senior advocate said, ‘’What I know about the PDP in the past is, if this kind of a thing occurs, when the president emerges, they always correct it. He claimed that there was an agreement during the zoning debate that both the presidential candidate and the national chairman cannot come from the same region. I have chosen to be in APC. That has been done in the past during the time of (former presidents) Musa Yar’Adua and Obasanjo and I’m sure the PDP will correct it.’’ But the PDP National Deputy Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, categorically foreclosed the idea of a convention. Notwithstanding the resignation of Walid Jibrin as the chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Wike insists Ayu must go. We’re a political party.
“The party is not considering any mini-convention this year; rather, we are considering going into the elections and returning the party to victory come 2023,’’ he said with finality.. Speaking to our correspondent, Ologunagba said the legal adviser merely expressed his personal opinion, noting that the mini-convention proposal could only be discussed if it was presented before the party. As much as Ayu remains as PDP chairman, Wike cannot work for and with Atiku. He said, “The proposal of a mini-convention has not come before the party. The legal adviser spoke from the perspective of the law. He was first elected into the Rivers State House of Assembly in 2011 to represent Omuma State Constituency. He was saying that should the party decide to do a mini-convention to determine the fate of Ayu, it would be in order. Quality journalism costs money.
“Because we don’t have such a proposal, we can’t be commenting as this will amount to speaking on speculation. Emmanuel Okatta. Of course, the party can decide this at a convention but other considerations must be put in place. Is it expedient? Is it politically wise? Whatever decision the party takes, there are various organs to discuss whether this is acceptable or not. He had aspired for the 2019 Peoples Democratic Party’s House of Representatives ticket for the Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency 2019, but later withdrew for the eventual winner Chief Ephraim Nwuzi.