The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has foreclosed on the removal of its National Chairman Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, as a condition for peace and reconciliation in the party.
Recall that the Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and a former Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Olabode George, are among those calling for Ayu’s removal to balance the North/South power equation in the opposition party.
They argued that the PDP cannot have Ayu, who is from the North, and the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who is also from the North, in the same election circle.
But, the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said removing Ayu from office would ignite a constitutional crisis in the party in which PDP cannot take the risk.
Ologunagba said: “Those calling for Ayu’s removal ought to be aware of the implication of their demand. Are they now saying that the present Deputy National Chairman (North), who is from the same Northeast zone as our presidential candidate, be made to replace Ayu, in line with the PDP constitution?
“On the other hand, we would be courting more crises if we sideline provisions of the constitution by replacing Ayu with another officer from the South.
“We don’t want to go into the election with a constitutional crisis. We have barely six months to the election.”
