From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi
There is no gainsaying that there was a seeming war brewing in the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) before, during and even after the general elections. However, the crisis assumed a different dimension shortly after the election following the woeful, abysmal and regrettable performance of the PDP in both the Presidential and Governorship/State Assembly elections.
There have been accusations, counter accusations and blame trading between Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom and his kinsman, the National Chairman, PDP Dr. Iyorchia Ayu (now former).
Ortom it was, who worked relentlessly and assiduously to install Ayu as Chairman of the PDP. He had rallied all stakeholders including PDP governors, Senators, traversed the geo-political zones and used State resources to ensure that his kinsman emerged as Chairman.
The Benue Governor dug out Ayu from political oblivion and irrelevance to place him once again on the political map of Nigeria. Note that though Ayu had been Senate President and amongst the founding members of the PDP, many still argued that he lacked political relevance especially in his home country Gboko where he has failed to assert his political dominance.
No wonder that many political players in Benue State doubted his ability and capability to rescue the party and the country from the claws of the All Progressives Congress, APC at this time. Others opined that no sooner, would he (Ayu) fall out with Ortom because of his stand.
Recall Ayu’s role in Governor George Akume:s administration in 1999 where he assumed the position of de facto governor. He practically called the shots in that government, an action which the then First Lady Mrs. Regina Akume was uncomfortable about and consequently, Akume parted ways with him.
Ortom failed to realize that Ayu is not one to control easily and would not do his bidding.
This was clearly seen in Ayu’s insistence to stick to his old-time friend Atiku Abubakar as PDP Presidential candidate against the wish of Ortom who was the Chairman, Zoning Committee. This negated the zoning formula of the party that states clearly and plunged it into a deep crisis. All efforts to resolve the impasse failed. This is just as the party also failed to deploy its internal crisis resolution mechanism to halt the crisis.
Thus, PDP went into the election sharply divided with the G-5 also, known as the Integrity Group hitherto,breathed hard on Ayu to relinquish his position but he remained adamant.
In defiance to the party, Ortom campaigned vigorously for the Labor Party, LP Presidential candidate Peter Obi while Ayu’s group comprising of the three (3) senators from the Senatorial zones and some members of the State Executive Council, SEC worked for Atiku who lost to Tinubu in Benue State finishing third behind Peter Obi. Subsequently, the PDP lost the Governorship election.
This scenario set the stage for the acrimony between Ortom and Ayu to deepen as both engaged in blame game resulting in first, the National Working the Committee recommending the Governor to the Disciplinary Committee to answer to allegations of anti-party activities.
Responding to the action, Ortom through his media aide Nathaniel Ikyur described it as “contemptuous”, maintaining that he (Ortom) had secured a restraining order from the court barring the party or any organ from issuing any disciplinary measure against him.
According to him,”the matter is to be heard on April 18th, 2023 and so, it is baffling to see such a statement coming from the National leadership of the party.
“I think the national leadership of our great party is losing its sense of direction. Instead of the leadership to sit back and think of ways on how to rebuild the party from the ruins of the defeat from the just concluded elections, they are going about chasing imaginary shadows.
“In any case, the first person the party should refer to the disciplinary committee should be the national chairman of the party, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu. The national chairman lost his polling unit, lost his ward, local government, and even the state.
“As if that is not enough, there are strong indications that the national chairman was involved in anti-party activities in Benue State by working for the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, just to get at me because of my principled stand against certain aspects of the decisions of the national leadership of the party”, Ortom opined.
Then in a chess-like move, Ortom also incited a suspension move against Ayu. And Ayu, who was suspended by the Ward executive of the party in Igyorov Ward of Gboko Local Government Area (LGA), of Benue state, also had a vote-of-no-confidence passed on him.
Addressing the media on Sunday March 26th, 2023 on behalf of Kashi Philip, the Ward Chairman, the Ward Secretary, Mr. Vangeryina Dooyum explained that Ayu was suspended by the Executive for alleged anti party activities.
Dooyum, who read from a text signed by 12 out of the 17 member Ward Executives, stated that the decision to suspend the National Chairman was reached after the leadership reviewed his conduct at the end of the just concluded general elections.
The Secretary said, “we observed with utmost dismay that Dr. Iyorchia Ayu who is the National Chairman of the PDP worked against the success of the party in Igyorov Council Ward.
“It is on record that he has also failed to pay his Annual Subscription Fees as provided under Section 8 (9) of the constitution of the PDP 2017 (As Amended).
“Further investigation also revealed that he did not vote during the Governorship and State Assembly Elections held on March 18, 2023.
“It was also discovered that most of his closest allies worked for the opposition party, the All Progressive Congress, (APC) and hence, the abysmal performance of the PDP in Igyorov Ward.
In response to his purported suspension, Ayu in a statement on Monday March 27th, 2023 entitled Only NEC can suspend me, Ayu said those goading Ward Exco are ignorant.
The statement which was signed by Simon Imobo-Tswam(Special Adviser to the National Chairman on Media and Communications read inter alia
“We wish to state categorically and with all emphasis at our disposal thus:
“The PDP National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, has not been suspended by his Ward. Some members of the Exco are only being teleguided by political gamblers to cause mischief and nothing more.
“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.
“The purported suspension is, therefore, an exercise in futility as it derives its strength majorly from gross illiteracy, ignorance, gambling and desperation. It has only mischief, drama and propaganda value.
“But more than this, the so-called suspension letter was written by an illiterate beforehand, 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 will be held on 25th and 18th March, 2023 respectively.
“From what we know, the 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 either. 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.
“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.
In a tornado speed, a Benue State High Court sitting in Makurdi on Monday 27th March, 2023, restrained Dr. Iyorchia Ayu from parading himself as the national chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP.
The Court gave the order while ruling on an ex-parte application brought by a member of the party in Benue State, Engr. Conrad Terhide Utaan(a kinsman of Ortom),through his counsel Mike Assoh.
Justice Wilfred Kpochi, in a ruling ordered Ayu to stop parading himself as the national chairman of the PDP, having lost membership of the party, pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice already filed.
In suit No MHC/85/2023,filed by Utaan, Dr. Ayu is the first defendant while the PDP is the second defendant.
The suit seeks among other reliefs a declaration that Dr. Ayu is no longer fit and qualified to hold office as the national chairman of the PDP, having lost membership of the party in his Igyorov Council Ward of Gboko, where he first registered as a member of the party.
It also seeks a declaration that Ayu cannot hold himself out, function and preside over the affairs of the PDP as its national chairman having seized to enjoy all the rights and privileges of membership by virtue of his suspension by the ward executive committee of the party in his Igyorov Council Ward of Gboko Local Government where he used to be a member of the party.
It further seeks an order restraining Ayu from parading himself as the national chairman of the PDP having lost membership of the party, amongst other reliefs.
The matter was accordingly adjourned to April 17,2023, for hearing of the substantive suit. On Tuesday 28th, 2023, Ayu stepped down as National Chairman, PDP even as it is learnt that he may have done this so as to engage in a legal tussle with Ortom.
This is so because, it is also gathered that he (Ayu) filed a counter response on Wednesday March 29th, 2023 at Court 3, Benue State High Court. An insider said the matter is for mention on April 17th,2023.
Political actors will closely watch as the battle of brothers from the zone B district of the State rages on at the court. Ayu is the third Benue indigene to be removed from office of National Chairman, PDP by his own kinsmen, others were Barnabas Gemade and Audu Ogbe.
