Benue Court Sacks Ayu As PDP National Chairman

By Gideon Njoku

A Benue State High Court, on Monday, 27th March, 2023, sacked the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, from office.

The Court stopped Ayu from  parading himself as the National Chairman pending the  determination of the substantive suit which was adjourned to April 17, 2023, for hearing.

In a repeat of the process which led to the sack of Ayu’s predecessor in office, Prince Uche Secondus, Ayu was first suspended by his ward for alleged anti-party activities on Sunday.

The suit to sack Ayu was filed by a PDP member, Terhide Utaan. The Judge, the Honourable Justice W.I. Kochi, granted Utaan’s request, and stopped Ayu from parading himself as National Chairman, pending the substantive case.

In reaction to the ruling, Nyesom Wike, Rivers State Governor, the mastermind of Secondus’ sack, and an arch political enemy of Ayu, lauded the Court ruling.

He said: “I am not from Benue State, but I am happy. And now that Benue State has done it, we would now come out and say we are in support of this.”

Wike had asked Ayu to vacate from office as a condition to support the PDP and its Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

When that was not done, he and his G5 Governors – Samuel Ortom, Benue, Okezie Ikpeazu, Abia, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Enugu, Seyi Makinde, Oyo – worked against the PDP.

For the first time, the PDP lost Rivers State to APC. It also lost Oyo and Benue States.

Not a few people allege that Wike is behind the suspension of Ayu by his ward in Benue State, which has now led to the Court stopping him from parading himself as the National Chairman of the PDP.  “It is the same Secondus’ story”, they chorus.