Senator Iyorchia Ayu, national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has once more stated that governors seeking for his resignation are wasting their time because none of them have the authority to do so.
This was said by Ayu in a speech to his supporters on Friday after they had welcomed him to Gboko, the administrative center of Tiv territory.
The PDP chairman rather said that he has the right to prevent any candidate from running for office on the platform of his party, but he chose to act without saying anything to prevent any rifts within the party.
Recall that the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and four other PDP governors from Oyo, Abia, Enugu, and Benue states have repeatedly demanded Senator Iyorchia Ayu’s resignation as the party chairman as the only way to resolve the ongoing crisis in the party since Wike lost the presidential primary election.
Senator Ayu, who appeared to be alluding to Ortom when he spoke in Tiv, told his supporters that he had the authority to disqualify any candidate for the party, particularly in the state, in order to avenge all of the insults that had been made against him.
According to him, “I have been silent over all the things you are hearing against me because I don’t want any crack in the party. I belong in my state, 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 shot 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 percent of the votes and Titus Uba as governor in 2023.
Ayu further said, “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 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 at 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. We are yet to get our share of the national cake, so my charge to you is not to relent prayers so that this time around come 2023, God will give us president who will work closely with the Governor of our state to wipe out our tears.
“During the senator J S Tarka’s era, God gave us a Fulani man, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, did he fight the Tiv nation? Did he kill our people? He appointed five ministers from Benue state and speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Chaha, Paul Unongo (Minister of steel), Isaac Shaahu (Minister of Communications), Mrs. Elizabeth Ivase (Education Minister) and Audu Ogbeh, was he not a Fulani man?
Speaking further, Ayu also stated that Another Fulani man, Yar’Adua appointed a Tiv man, Michael Kaase Aondoakaa his Minister of Justice.
“Today, the flagbearer of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar who is not only a chieftaincy title holder of the Tiv people as the Zege Mule U Tiv, he is my friend, he told me his plans for the Tiv nation. That he will wipe away the tears of our people.
“So nobody should try to bring any troubles to you. I am telling you today, PDP is one party, a party that has divisions does not win elections. No matter the strength of any party, if it does not have unity, it will not win election