The post-election crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party took a new turn on Monday as a Benue State High Court, Makurdi, constrained Senator Iyorchia Ayu from parading himself as the national chairman of the party.
This order marked the resumption of the animosity between a group backing the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and five governors who refused to campaign for him during the 2023 election process.
The court order came barely 24 hours after the executive of Ayu’s Igyorov Ward in the Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State suspended the PDP chairman for alleged anti-party activities.
The PDP National Chairman's suspension came four days after the National Working Committee of the PDP suspended former governors Ayo Fayose (Ekiti), Ibrahim Shema (Katsina), Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu), and a former Senate President, Anyim Pius, and others for alleged anti-party activities.
The National Executive Committee of the party also directed the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, to appear before the disciplinary committee for the same offense.
Samuel Ortom who is a member of the G-5 governors comprising governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) who are demanding the removal of Ayu to address the lopsidedness in the leadership of the party which they alleged was crooked in favor of the North.
After the announcement of Ayu’s suspension on Sunday, the Ward Secretary, Mr. Vangeryina Dooyum, who spoke on behalf of the Ward Chairman, Kashi Philip, explained that the party chairman worked against the party in the just concluded elections.
Dooyum, who read a statement signed by 12 out of the 17 ward executive members, stated, “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).
But reacting to his suspension on Monday, the embattled chairman declared that the PDP constitution expressly prohibited any organ of the party or executive committee at the ward, state, or national level to take any disciplinary measure against any member of the National Executive Committee, arguing that only the NEC could suspend him.
The Integrity Group AKA G-5 and the Southern bloc of the party had insisted on the removal of Ayu to address the lopsidedness in the leadership of the party which they alleged was tilted in favor of the North.
Despite several reconciliation meetings between the aggrieved governors and Atiku in Port Harcourt, Abu,ja and London, United Kingdom, the party could not resolve the crisis as the PDP flag bearer objected to their demand.
Consequently, the G-5 and the southern bloc of the PDP refused to participate in Atiku’s presidential campaign or support his aspiration, part of his loss in the February 25 presidential election to the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Tinubu.
But in the latest wrench to the lingering crisis in the party which ruled the nation from 1999 to 2015, Justice Wilfred Kpochi of the Benue High Court granted an interim injunction restraining Ayu from parading himself as the PDP chairman pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The presiding judge handed down the order in suit No. MHC/85/2023, filed by a former aide to the Benue State governor, Conrad Utaan.
Ayu and the PDP were listed as the first and second respondents, respectively.
The plaintiff prayed the court among others, grant, “An order of interim injunction restraining the 1st defendant, Senator, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu from parading himself as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, having lost membership of the party, pending the hearing and determination of Motion on Notice already filled"
“Consequently, this application is hereby granted in terms of relief captured in the motion papers as herein before reproduced. It is so ordered.’ The case was adjourned till April 17 for a hearing.
Speaking with journalists at the Government House, Makurdi on Monday, Utaan said that he decided to obtain the order following the abysmal performance of the party in the state.
Utaan said that he expected the national chairman to have stepped aside since he could not lead the party to victory in the state.
Utaan who is a former aide to Ortom on Social Investment, said, “I have just obtained an order signed by Justice W. Puchi of the Makurdi High Court about a matter that I took before the court between, the former Chairman of our Party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, the PDP and me.
“I am sure you are aware of the facts of the matter as it concerns us here in Benue. We naturally expected because of the performance that we have just recorded as a party in Benue, Ayu, as it is done in saner climes, should step aside honorably because he wasn’t able to lead the party to victory, and allow the party to move on without him.
But the PDP expressed its readiness to interrogate the sequence of events leading to Ayu’s suspension at a meeting of its National Working Committee as soon as it gets the court order barring Ayu from functioning as the party chairman.
Reacting to the court order, the PDP spoke person he just concluded the presidential election Charles Aniagwu said; “Governor Wike is writing his history and over time, that history will not be kind to him. They are trying to destroy the party believing that they are strong men today because they are in power.
‘’They want to break and set on fire the ladder they used in climbing up, forgetting that there are many people who would have taken advantage of that ladder not only to climb at the individual level but also for doing something that all of us will be proud of.
“They think they are fighting one man but that is far from it. We need a country with a strong opposition but if you destroy a very strong political party just because of your selfish interest, you will realize that to a large extent, you have undermined our development as a nation.â€
He called on all those fuelling the crisis in the PDP to retrace their steps in the interest of democracy.
Also, a member of the PDP National Executive Committee and Deputy National Youth Leader of the party, Timothy Osadolor said in line with the PDP Constitution, only a committee set up by NEC had the powers to sanction Ayu or any other national officer of the party.
Accordingly, he argued that “A court order relying on a suspension that is null and void ab initio is not proper.â€
He continued, “Any action taken by a state chapter of our party that is inconsistent with the provisions of our constitution is null and void. I don’t want to speak about the court order but PDP as a party is determined to do the right thing.
“Our chairman has fought many battles and he triumphed in all. We believe this is one such because anything built on nothing cannot stand. We cannot allow impunity to reign in the affairs of this party. Impunity is what has brought us here today because people you expect to uphold the values of the party are the ones trying to destroy the party.â€
But against the background of Ayu’s suspension, the Rivers State government has declared that his fight against the party chieftain has just started.
He stated that it was unthinkable to allow any official who was unable to deliver his political unit, ward, local government, or state to the PDP during the last general elections to preside over the party.
Wike stated these during the inauguration of the modeled Community Secondary School in Okoro-nu-Odo in the Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of the State, on Monday, performed by the governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi.
He said, “Ask them, those who want to be chairman of this party; what do you have to give to the party now?’’
Wike claimed it was God who hardened Ayu’s heart not to vacate office when the G-5 governors and other party leaders demanded his resignation after Atiku emergence as the PDP presidential candidate.
If Ayu had resigned then, Wike argued that his supporters who opposed the zoning of elective and appointive offices would have used that as an excuse for the party’s abysmal performance in the recent elections.
Accordingly, it would be morally offensive for Ayu to remain as the PDP chairman after the catastrophic defeat of the party in his unit, ward, local government, state and at national level. He maintained that it was the beginning of the fight to save the party