Crack: Just Like Osun, Ondo PDP Distances Chapter From ‘Ayu Must Go Campaign’, Says It’s Committed To Victory

By Ayodele Oni

There is a crack in the submissions to the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, by the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, as they concern the fate of the National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu.

 The Ondo state Chapter distanced itself from the decision of the South-west  Zonal leadership of the party which demanded for the resignation of Dr Iyorcha Ayu as National Chairman.

While receiving the Presidential candidate of the Party in Ibadan, Oyo state capital during the week, Governor Seyi Makinde had tabled some demands which included the resignation of Ayu as national chairman.

The Governor pointed out that was the position of the leadership of the Party in the South-west.

“Our party wants to rescue Nigeria and our candidate is a unifier. He wants to restructure Nigeria.

“The message from the south-west PDP is that the south-west is asking that the national working committee (NWC) of the PDP should be restructured.

“We are asking the national chairman to step down so that the south will be fully included. That is the message.”

But two States have distanced their Chapters from Makinde’s submission as it affects Ayu.

First was the Osun State Chapter which dismissed the call for the resignation of Ayu as a no-no.

And, on Friday, the Ondo State Chapter maintained that it aligned itself with the decision of the 97th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the Party, which passed a vote of confidence on Senator Iyorchia Ayu, as the National Chairman and the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

The Party in a statement signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kennedy Peretei,  also said it is supporting the Party’s Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar unconditionally.

“The Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) Ondo State Chapter is committed to victory at the general elections in 2023.

“Since the All Progressives Congress (APC) entered the saddle in 2015, Nigeria has been on a free fall. We moved from the biggest economy in Africa to World capital of poverty.

“As a Nation, we are struggling for space for a ranking in failed States with Afghanistan and Syria under President Muhammad Buhari.

“Our Party is determined to end the misrule of APC, rescue and redirect our country on the path of recovery and prosperity.

“Against this background, Ondo State PDP aligns itself completely with the 97th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting Resolutions which passed a vote of confidence on Senator Iyorchia Ayu as National Chairman and the National Working Committee (NWC) of our great party.

‘We unconditionally support the presidential candidate of our party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who possesses the experience and capacity to lead Nigeria to the destination of our dreams.

“Our focus and priority at this critical time is victory at the polls. And we shall commit all our energies to ensuring victory.”

The pressure for Ayu’s resignation seem to be popular in the South, except, perhaps in Rivers, Abia, Enugu, Cross River and Oyo States.