The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) suspended its National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, on Sunday for alleged anti-party activities.
Ayu was suspended by the PDP Ward Executives of his Igyorov Ward in Benue State’s Gboko Local Government Area.
Vangeryina Dooyum, the PDP Ward Secretary, told journalists in Makurdi on behalf of Ward Chairman Kashi Philip that the national chairman’s suspension was due to his alleged anti-party activities.
The secretary stated in a statement signed by 12 of the 17 Ward Executives that the decision to suspend the National Chairman was made after the leadership reviewed his conduct following the recently concluded general elections.
The secretary, who was flanked by the ward chairman and other members of the executive at the press conference, read from the statement that announced Ayu’s suspension.
“We were shocked to learn that Dr Iyorchia Ayu, the PDP’s National Chairman, worked against the party’s success in Igyorov Council Ward.”
“It is also on record that he has failed to pay his Annual Subscription Fees as provided for in Section 8 (9) of the PDP 2017 constitution.” (As Amended).
“Further investigation revealed that he did not vote in March 18, 2023, Governorship and State Assembly Elections.”
“It was also discovered that the majority of his closest allies worked for the opposition party, the All Progressive Congress (APC), explaining the PDP’s dismal performance in Igyorov Ward.”
“In light of the foregoing, we hereby vote no confidence in Dr Iyorchia Ayu and suspend him as a member of our party effective immediately.” The suspension goes into effect on March 24, 2023.”
Remember that the PDP at the state level gave Governor Samuel Ortom a vote of confidence over the weekend, which the national chairman’s led executive at the apex level referred to its disciplinary committee.
The Benue State PDP gave Ortom a vote of confidence for his “steadfast loyalty and selfless, sacrificial leadership to the party.”
Bemgba Iortyom, the PDP’s State Publicity Secretary, in a statement signed on behalf of the party’s state working committee in Makurdi at the weekend, urged the party’s national body to reverse its decision to refer the governor to its disciplinary body.
“We have taken note with grave concern of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) action yesterday in referring Governor Samuel Ortom to its Disciplinary Committee to answer charges of anti-party activities levelled against him.”
“The Benue PDP finds it difficult to understand the rationale by which the NWC determines anti-party activities at the National Secretariat, such as seeing one of the G-5 Governors singled out for punitive action on the basis of that offence, and what the procedure is for meting out punitive measures against such anti-party activities, where some persons, including Professor Dennis Ityavyar, have been suspended without facing any disciplinary Committee.”
“The party believes that as a state chapter, it must remind the NWC of the implications of its current action against Governor Ortom and others.”
“It is thus a motion of the Benue PDP SWC that a vote of confidence is passed on Governor Samuel Ortom for his unwavering loyalty and selfless, sacrificial leadership to our great party, the PDP.”
“We also call on the NWC to thoroughly investigate options for fostering reconciliation, unity, re-branding, and repositioning the party to reclaim its lost glory,” the statement reads in part.
The party also claimed that the action is in violation of a court injunction prohibiting the PDP at all levels from taking any punitive action against the Benue State Governor pending the outcome of a substantive suit filed in a court of competent jurisdiction on the matter.
