PDP’s Ayu is our man, worked for Tinubu – Umahi

By Musa Baba Adamu

Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has claimed that Iyorchia Ayu, the embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), worked for the emergence of Bola Tinubu as the president-elect.
Umahi made the claim on Monday during the commissioning of remodelled community secondary school, Okoro nu Odo, in Rivers State.
He was in Rivers on the invitation of Governor Nyesom Wike for the project commissioning in the state.
Umahi insisted that Tinubu must know that Ayu worked for him so he could integrate him into the next administration.
”I want to also thank the suspended Chairman of the PDP. He did very well because if he had accepted to resign, it would have been very difficult for the APC. So he is our man, and I commend him very, very well.
“And I am begging Wike that they should lift the suspension so that he can suspend many more of their leaders. We love what he has done, and so we commend him. I think Asiwaju must know that he worked for him and must also integrate him into the next administration,” Umahi said.
Speaking further, the Ebonyi Governor said Governor Wike was responsible for why the Federal High Court sacked him as governor sometime last year, before the Appellate Court restored him back in office.
Recall that the Federal High Court in Abuja, in March, 2022 sacked Umahi, his deputy, Kelechi Igwe, along with 15 lawmakers in the state over their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.
The 15 lawmakers were elected on the PDP platform before they joined him in dumping the party for the APC.
However, while recalling what transpired when he left PDP, Umahi disclosed that he would not fight Wike again, insisting that nobody could win Governor Wike.
”First look at the decamping of G-3 governors – Cross River, Zamfara and Ebonyi; that is the stepping stone, of course governor Wike fought us; fought us very, very badly. And when APC people said why are you supporting Wike, I said what did you do when Wike removed me in the first court as governor of Ebonyi State, you want me to come and fight again? I chose my fight, I said I will not fight the man again. But the truth is that if anybody thinks he can win Governor Wike in Rivers State, that is a joke taken too far. And I am very bold to say that,” Umahi said.