South West PDP Demand For Ayu’s Ouster Vindicates Gov. Wike – Nwuke

This was made known in a statement by a former member of the National Assembly, Chief Ogbonna Nwuke and made available to journalists on Thursday.

He stated that all along, some people had tried to divert attention away from the real issues by claiming that Governor Wike, for selfish reasons, was trying to destabilise the PDP since he failed the primaries and could not become Atiku’s running mate.

Nwuke, however, said that the stance taken by Yoruba leaders when Atiku visited them had shown that the struggle for the correction of imbalances in the party was not about Wike.

He said, “Wike is not the issue as some people would want us to believe. Wike has become the symbol of the struggle for the protection of the rights of the people of Southern Nigeria.

“For some reason, persons close to the PDP flagbearer have tried to be clever by half. There is a limit to name calling. Despite attempts to confuse issues and hide the truth, the actual message is out. It is about the South and nothing else.

“We are gladdened by the fact that the South West has spoken clearly. Those who are claiming that Ayu’s removal will raise constitutional issues are deceiving themselves.

“Where was the PDP Constitution when some people decided to ignore the provisions of Article 7(3)(c) which dwells on the issue of power rotation? Was that in itself not a breach of the PDP Constitution? “

Rep. Nwuke also urged Atiku and his handlers to `do what is right’, adding that `returning the chairmanship of the party to the South at this time is what is right’.

“Acknowledging that what happened on the road to the special convention when some people chose to run against zoning was unconstitutional is the right thing to do in the present circumstance.

“Finally, accepting that a balance of power on a North/South basis is what is right is the best thing to do as we go forward.

“Now that the South West has spoken, Atiku will have to decide whether he wants to be a mere presidential candidate or if he wants to win an election. He will have to choose between Ayu and the South as we prepare for 2023.

“At this time, we are not begging them to do what is right, we are demanding that they do what is right in the interest of the PDP. Anything short of that will not work,” Nwuke stated.

Recall that Critical stakeholders in the PDP had not relented on the agitation for the resignation of the party’s national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.

The PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo state, disagreed on the issue of ‘Ayu Must Go’ controversy in Ibadan.

Makinde, who hosted an interactive session of Atiku with the party’s stakeholders in the Southwest, said that Ayu must step down for a Southerner to emerge as national chairman, since Atiku, a Northerner, is the party’s presidential flag bearer.

However, the former vice president, responded by insisting that Ayu’s resignation must be done in accordance with the party’s Constitution, rules, regulations and practice.