The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, on Saturday hinted that he has power to frustrate any candidate of the party in the 2023 general elections by not signing relevant nomination documents.
Ayu, who made the remark while addressing his kinsmen of at his residence in the Gboko area of Benue State, said he would not take such action despite the political battle being waged against him by some persons in the party.
PlatinumPost reports that a powerful group in the PDP which has Rivers governor, Nyesom Wike, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, among other influencial PDP chieftains, had called for Ayu’s removal following the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate.
Ayu, however, assured his kinsmen that nobody would remove him from office.
He said, “The PDP is one and not divided. I am trying my best not to disappoint 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 at a day that God permits.”
He thanked Gboko people for the show of love to him, stressing that, “since I started politics in PDP in the last 30 years, Gboko has not 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. Nothing should worry you my people.”
Ayu added, “So nobody should try to bring any trouble to you. I am telling you today, PDP is one party, a party that has divisions does not win elections. No matter the strength of any party, if it does not have unity, it will lose elections.
“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 liked it or not I signed. So I was doing that believing that I cannot shot 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 percent of the votes and Titus Uba as governor in 2023.”
The PDP national chairman further stated that only God enthrones leadership and uses people to enthrone a person over others and protects that person.
He said, “I want to assure you that all these days, God has been protecting me even when I went on sick leave abroad, God was 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 prayers so that this time around come 2023, God will give us president who will work closely with the Governor of our state to wipe out our tears.
“During the senator J S Tarka’s era, God gave us a Fulani man, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, did he fight the Tiv nation? Did he kill our people? He appointed 5 ministers from Benue state and speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Chaha, Paul Unongo (Minister of steel), Isaac Shaahu (Minister of Communications), Mrs. Elizabeth Ivase (Education Minister) and Audu Ogbeh etc was he not a Fulani man?
“Another Fulani man, Yar Adua appointed a Tiv man, Michael Kaase Aondoakaa his Minister of Justice.
“Today, the flagbearer of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar who is not only a chieftaincy title holder of the Tiv people as the Zege Mule U the Tiv, he is my friend, he told me his plans for the Tiv nation. That he will wipe away the tears of the people.”
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