The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, has threatened to disrupt the Senatorial ambition of the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom.
Ortom is serving his second term as Governor, and has his eyes on the Senate in 2023. He is one of the four Governors led by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, who are at loggerheads with the PDP since after Wike lost in the Presidential Primary, and was overlooked by Atiku in the choice of his running mate, for Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.
They are asking that Ayu steps down from office for a Southerner, or they would have nothing to the with Party’s Presidential Campaign.
In the past couple of days, both Wike and Ortom have raised the ante, making it clear, almost, that they would neither work for Atiku nor encourage their people to vote for him.
But, Ayu, during a visit to his kinsmen and Tiv people on Friday, October 28th, 2022, said that he has the power to stop Ortom from realising his senatorial ambition on the platform of the party.
Ayu who spoke in the Tiv local dialect told his people that he had the power to stop any candidate under the party, particularly in the State; to avenge all the attacks on him, but as a father of all, and in his quest to avoid a crack in the party, he has decided to remain silent.
He said: “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 shoot 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 per cent of the votes and Titus Uba as Governor in 2023.
“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 the 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 on 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 in prayers so that this time around come 2023, God will give us a president who will work closely with the Governor of our state to wipe out our tears.”
Both men hail from Benue North West senatorial district, but the duo has been at loggerheads since the PDP Presidential Primaries that saw Governor Nyesom Wike lose to the Party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, leading to the call for the resignation of Ayu from the ‘Wike Camp’, that consist of Ortom, Governor Seyi Makinde and Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State.
The rift among them has polarized the Party in the State, as the Senatorial ambition of the Governor remain threatened. Ayu’s kinsmen in the Jemgbah axis are accusing the Governor of teaming up with others to pull down their son from his exalted office.
Urging the people to support Atiku’s candidacy, Ayu said, “Today, the standard bearer of 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 and does not win elections. No matter the strength of any party, if it does not have unity, it will lose elections”, he concluded.
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