AYU: ONLY NEC CAN SUSPEND ME
27th March, 2023 | 7:08 PM
The national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Iyorchia Ayu Monday reacted to his suspension by the executive committee of his ward, Igyorovo in Gboko local government in Benue state, stating that it is of no effect as only the National Executive Committee (NEC) has the constitutional right to suspend him.
Ayu said that as national chairman and indeed as a national officer, only the NEC of the party as contained in section 57(7] can suspend him.
A statement by Simon Imobo-Tswam
(Special Adviser to the National Chairman on Media and Communications) said that the party wished clarify as follows:
“For starters, Article 57(7) of the PDP Constitution as Amended in 2017 expressly prohibits any organ of the party or executive committee of the party at the Ward or State Level from taking any disciplinary measure against any member of the party’s National Executive Committee.”
Accordingly, Ayu said that the purported suspension is, “therefore, an exercise in futility as it derives its strength majority” from gross illiteracy, ignorance, gambling and desperation. It has only mischief, drama and propaganda value.”
He continued, “But more than this, the so-called suspension letter was written by an illiterate before hand, and only given to the coerced members to sign somewhere in Makurdi.
“This is why the original date is typexed and 24 March imposed on it. And this is also why it states that the presidential/NASS and Governorship/State Assembly elections held on 25th and 18th March, 2023 respectively.
‘From what we know, document itself is fraudulent as the signatures of the Ward Executives were forged or obtained under duress.
”The chairman, his deputy and legal adviser didn’t sign. The 14th person on the list didn’t sign too. She was at NKST Ambighir for the Holy Communion.
” In fact, the same applies for Nos. 5, 8 and 16. At the time they were supposed to be in Makurdi with the other coerced, intimidated and induced members of the Exco, they were actually in their villages, going about their normal businesses.”, Ayu declared.
The embattled national chairman of the PDP said that “Up till now, about nine members of the Ward Exco are still being held hostage in a location in Makurdi for obvious reasons. And expectedly, their mobile numbers have been switched off. It is instructive.
“The general public is hereby advised to ignore rumours to this heinous effect. Those behind the plot are only investing in expensive illusions.”, he stated
Meanwhile, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has said that he is in support of the suspension of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu.
The Executive Committee of the PDP in Igyorov Ward of Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State, suspended Ayu on Sunday, after passing a vote of no confidence on him for anti-party activities.
THISDAY reports that, speaking on the issue, Wike stated that he supports the move because Ayu played a major role in the colossal failure of the PDP in the 2023 general elections.
“First of all, if you are a member of the party will you be happy with the way the party is today, it is only in this country that you see someone who has failed woefully and without any conscience would still like to occupy the position
“In advanced countries like you see and you are the head of the party, I feel like such a colossal failure you do not need anybody to tell you to turn in the towel
“So those in his ward from Benue are angry. Why are they angry? Before now Ayu ought to have left that office, people were saying we were pushing for Ayu to leave and that we had a hidden agenda to make PDP fail
“Ayu remained and PDP didn’t win, you lost your unit as National Chairman, you lost your ward as National Chairman, you lost your Local government as National Chairman of the party. Not only did you take a distant third in the presidential election you also lost in the state gubernatorial election,” Wike explained.
Chuks Okocha in Abuja.
Earlier report:
A Makurdi High Court presided over by Justice Wilfred Kpochi has issued an interim order restrainng Dr. Iyorchia Ayu from “parading himself as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.”
The order of the court, issued on Monday, followed an ex-parte application brought before the court by a PDP stalwart, Mr. Conrad Utaan against Dr. Ayu and the PDP in a suit No MHC/85/2023.
The application was supported by a 15-paragraph affidavit and three exhibits including the applicant’s PDP membership card, receipt of payment of dues and a copy of the resolution of the PDP Executive of the Igyorov Council Ward of Gboko Local Government Area, suspending Dr. Ayu.
The plaintiff in the application argued that the National Chairman should cease to operate in that capacity “having lost membership of the party, pending the hearing and determination of Motion on Notice already filed.”
In his ruling, Justice Kpochi held that the court, after listening to the plaintiff’s counsel move the application “and upon a dispassionate consideration of the facts placed before me in the pool of the affidavit evidence, and again, upon the consideration of the issues distilled in the written address by the plaintiff’s counsel, it is my candid view that this is a proper case to grant the interim injunction as craved.
“Consequently, this application is hereby granted in terms of the reliefs captured in the motion papers as herein before reproduced. It is so ordered.”
Justice Ikpochi adjourned the matter to April 17 for hearing.
Speaking shortly after the ruling, Mr. Utaan explained that he approached the court to have Dr. Ayu removed from office because “we naturally expected that out of the performance that we have just recorded as a party in Benue, we expected Dr. Ayu, like it is done in saner climes, to step aside honourably because he wasn’t able to lead the party to victory; and allow the party to move on without him.
“Unfortunately, he has refused to show or display that kind of honour and I thought it wise to approach the court to to see how to agree with the position of his ward who only 24 hours ago, suspended him from the party.
“Our expectation is that you cannot be the National Chairman of a party that you are not a member of.
“Fortunately for us as a party, Dr. Ayu is no longer a member of the PDP as declared by his ward and under normal circumstances, he has no reason whatsoever to continue as the National Chairman of our party.”
Recall that 12 out of the 17 member Executive of Igyorov Council Ward of the PDP in Gboko LGA Sunday suspended the National Chairman from the party after passing a vote of no confidence on him over alleged anti party activities.
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