About 48 hours after Iyorchia Ayu, the National Chairman of the PDP got the boot from ward officials in Benue, a full scale war has erupted.
A court in Markudi Monday ordered Ayu to stand down as National Chairman of Nigeria’s
major opposition party.
The court’s move to strip Ayu of his power is coming fast on the heels of a declaration in Port Harcourt by Governor Nyesom Wike confirming that war has indeed broken out within the PDP.
While the decision of the court in Benue to an extent legitimized the ousting of Ayu by his own kinsmen, Wike’s comment on Monday confirmed beyond reasonable doubt that what was seen as the centre in the PDP can no longer hold.
“Those of you who are fighting that they have suspended him, you have not seen anything yet”, Wike declared at the commissioning of a remodeled school at Okoro-nu-Odo at the outskirts of the state capital.
The Rivers Governor disclosed, “The fight has started. Ayu, the fight has just started. If you know him, those of you who are close to him, tell him, Iyorchia Ayu, the fight has just started.”
Ayu was expected to use his position to strengthen the PDP’s grip in Benue State. That didn’t happen.
“He was supposed as the National Chairman to bring together, warring factions within the party, which were pulling in different directions across the country before the national elections”, a PDP chieftain stated Monday night during a chat.
“Ayu stubbornly took sides and ruined whatever chances were available for reconciliation. After the elections, Ayu began to move stealthily, but persistently, against perceived enemies inside his own party”, the PDP chieftain revealed.
That action of his appears to have broken the camel’s back, given what is playing out within the PDP.
Speaking in Port Harcourt, Wike openly accused Senator Ayu of allegedly obtaining huge bribes, and allowing the rare opportunity of keeping Benue within the axis control of the PDP to slip off.
According to Wike, other PDP controlled States cannot sustain the party financially and tolerate him as their chairman.
Taunting Ayu who is riding the tiger’s tail, Wike asked, “Will you preside over the one (Rivers PDP) I have secured victory for? You want to come and preside over this State so that we will begin to donate money to the party?
“You, bring your own State to the party too, so that your State can contribute money to the national. If you don’t deliver your State, you can’t preside over us. You cannot.”
The governor said it is unimaginable to speculate that any person who could not deliver his political unit, ward, local government or State to the PDP during the last general elections could preside over the party.
“Ask them, those who want to be chairman of this party (PDP), what do you have to give to the party now?
“Presidential election; you took bribe, and lost in your unit, lost in your ward, lost in your local government and lost in your State. Which party will you preside over now?”
God hardened Ayu’s heart:
Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, riding the tail of a tiger as crisis erupts around him.Governor Wike said it was God who hardened Ayu’s heart not to resign when the G-5 governors and members of Integrity Group demanded for his resignation after the emergence of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the PDP presidential candidate.
He noted if Ayu had resigned then, his cohorts who were vehemently opposed to the zoning of elective and appointive offices would have used that as an excuse for the party’s abysmal performance in the just concluded general elections.
“Look at somebody who did anti-party”, Wike said of Ayu, “he is suspending people. The chief priest of anti-party, native doctor of anti-party suspending those who have worked hard for this party.”
“All of you who are joining Ayu, be prepared”, the Rivers Governor warned, :Now, I have no other job, the job I have now is to put more heat on them and I will continue to do that.”
See what small boys can do, Wike declares:
Atiku Abubakar, out in the cold after Ayu led him astray on the road to the presidential election which he contested and failed.Governor Wike alleged that there are moves to summon members of the National Working Committee of the PDP to Abuja to reject the suspension of the National Chairman.
“If you like, let the National Secretary rush to Abuja. Let them meet this afternoon and say the suspension is illegal, you will see what you will face. You are calling us small boys, you will see what small boys can do to you.”
Governor Wike stressed that those who thought they could toy with Rivers State and not be dealt with squarely can begin to lick their wounds because they have been “peppered”.