Adamant Ayu stays on as Jibrin leaves, Tambuwal steps down and Wike says concessions to the South not enough
By Elem Kash
Ayu, headstrong unto the end.
Iyorchia Ayu, National Chairman of the PDP appears to have survived moves to edge him out of the driving seat in order to pave way for the emergence of a Southerner.
Apparently unruffled by widespread demands for him to leave office, Ayu who presided over the meeting of the party in Abuja rather announced the resignation of the BoT chairman, Walid Jibrin.
Eyewitnesses say Ayu commenced the meeting by announcing the decision of the Chairman of BoT to step aside in the midst of an ongoing crisis that is gradually snow-balling to a disagreement between Northern and Southern elements within the PDP.
Senator Walid Jibrin keeps his promise, resigns as BoT Chairman“I want to start this meeting”, Ayu said in his opening speech, “by announcing that the Chairman of the BoT, has decided to step down.”
“He stepped down to enjoy his remaining months. He has served this party meritoriously rising to the position of BoT Secretary and Chairman.
“Even in the family we have family disagreements, we disagree to settle it. This party is famous for resolving Issues and going ahead to win elections, this time is not any different, we will resolve our issues”, the National Chairman remarked.
Following the example set by Jibrin, Governor Aminu Tambuwal surprisingly quit as the Chair of PDP Governors Forum.
Aminu Tambuwal, Governor of Sokoto State resigns his position as Chairman, PDP Governors Forum. It was obvious, said an analyst in Port Harcourt, “Given the scripts which played out at the meeting, the resignations which were announced were carefully choreographed by the North.
“The action, a product of some level of political brinkmanship kept the chairmanship of the party in the North while the North relinquished the Chair of the Governorship Forum and the Chair of the BoT to the South.”
In Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, Governor Nyesom Wike who received news of the development reacted swiftly.
Governor Nyesom Wike says concessions made not enough in the interest of the South.“I am just informed that the BoT Chairman has resigned. But nobody is talking about that, his role is just advisory and nothing more”, Wike said in his initial reaction.
Wike warned that it would be catastrophic for the party if the geopolitical imbalance arising from the retention of the presidential candidate and the chairmanship of the party in the same region is not addressed.
According to him, “What I stand against is the North having the national chairmanship and presidential candidate, while the South has nothing. These two positions take decisions in the party.
“Except this abnormality is corrected, PDP will lose in the general elections come 2023. It is not about me. We are talking of justice, fair play and equity.”
Atiku Abubakar, PDP Presidential Candidate did not keep his bargain, Wike says.The governor revealed that he is pained by the decision of the candidate (Atiku) to renege on a gentleman’s agreement between them.
He revealed that both of them had agreed that the national chairman would be asked to resign to make way for a Southerner.
In the meantime Senator Adolphus Wabara has stepped in as the new Chairman of BoT while Governor Seyi Makinde will replace Governor Aminu Tambuwal as the Chairman of PDP Governors Forum.
Some say steps taken in Abuja may have been intended to placate Wike and his supporters. But the core demand, which has been for Ayu to go, has remained unaddressed.
There are people who however believe that the Atiku camp had presented Greek gifts in order to confuse, divide and weaken the Wike camp.