Nyesom Wike has said that Iyorchia Ayu, the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, has shown a level of arrogance that will cause the party election in 2023.
Wike was reacting to the statement by Ayu that he and others calling for his resignation were children when the party was formed.
Recall that the camp of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State had given Ayu’s resignation as one of the conditions that have to be fulfilled to resolve the post-presidential primaries crisis rocking the opposition party.
Atiku Abubakar, a former vice-president had defeated Wike in the presidential primaries of the party. Atiku settled for Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta as running mate.
Wike’s supporters have argued that it is unfair for the party’s chairman and its presidential flagbearer to hail from the same region.
But speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa Service, Ayu said those calling for his resignation were nowhere to be found when they struggled to form the party.
Ayu added that he was not bothered by the call for his resignation.
“I was voted as PDP Chairman for a four-year tenure and I’m yet to complete a year. Atiku’s victory doesn’t affect the Chairman’s position. I won my election based on our party’s constitution.”
“I didn’t commit any offense I’m only reforming the party so I’m not bothered with all the noises. I know I’m doing my work and I didn’t steal any money so I see no reason for all these talks. When we started PDP, these children were not around. They are children who do not know why we formed the party. We will not allow any individual to destabilize our party,” he said.
Speaking during the commissioning of Omerelu internal roads on Friday, Wike said that he and others picked the national chairman from the gutters and made him chairman.
He said that since the national chairman has shown such a level of arrogance, they will help the party lose the election in 2023.
According to Wike, the national chairman did not campaign and was not voted for anyone. He added that despite giving him money to print posters, he put the money in his pocket and accounted to no one.
Wike said that Ayu does not have the right to claim he founded the party since he left the party in 2007.
According to the governor, Ayu was impeached as Senate president and sacked by former President Obasanjo twice, therefore, he lacks the character to call anyone names.
“A man who is inconsistent and ran away, telling some of us that kept the party, that we are children? We will tell you that you are a prodigal father.
“Myself, Ugwuanyi, Ortom, Makinde, and Ikpeazu who stood by the party are now children to Ayu.?
“Just because of 14 billion in PDP’s account, you have refused to do what you promised to do? Money is a very bad thing. When the time comes, we will tell Nigerians the type of characters these people are”.
