Atiku dismisses calls for Ayu's resignation saying the PDP constitution allows him to remain in office

FORMER vice president and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has thrown his weight behind his party's chairman Senator Iyorchia Ayu saying those asking for his resignation must realise there is no constitutional provision  for it.

In late June at its annual convention in Abuja, the PDP, elected Alhaji Abubakar as its flagbearer for next year's presidential election. Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State was a candidate in that election but he was beaten into second place and to make matters worse for him, he was not then picked as the party's running mate.

With Alhaji Abubakar opting to pick Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as his running mate, Governor Wike has been on the war path and there are now fears that he will dump the PDP. Among the primary demands of the Wike camp is that party chairman Senator Ayu stands down as it is unacceptable for him and the presidential candidate to both be northerners.

However, appearing to dismiss these calls, Alhaji Abubakar said that Senator Ayu’s resignation is a tall dream. Although he did not categorically rule it out, Alhaji Abubakar said it would only be possible should the constitution be amended, a development analysts say was a near impossibility before the 2023 presidential election.

Atiku said:“The calls for the resignation of the national chairman or any national officer can only be achieved through the party’s constitution. The party’s constitution can only be amended. It is possible.

“When I was the vice president, we took over the southwest except Lagos State. I don’t want us to lose focus as the focus is on how to win the 2023 elections. I know that we are capable and we can do that.”

This latest statement is certain to fuel division within the PDP, as one of Governor Wike's most staunch supporters, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State told Alhaji Abubakar  yesterday that Senator Ayu must resign for peace to reign in the party. He insisted that one of the conditions to restructure the party was for him to resign, explaining that the presidential candidate, Atiku is from the north while Ayu is also from the north.

Governor Makinde said: “We must speak the truth. The truth is that we don’t have any issue either with the party or the candidate. We don’t have any issue with the PDP, this is not about an individual.

“The issue is that we must restructure Nigeria if we want unity in Nigeria but, we must restructure PDP itself before we restructure Nigeria. If we want to restructure Nigeria, do we have the capacity, the answer is yes.

"The southwest PDP is asking the PDP chairman to resign. The southwest PDP is telling the chairman to step down."

Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the secretary-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, said Atiku’s stand was disappointing. He added:  “We cannot fathom why it is so difficult for the PDP presidential candidate and the national chairman to respect a simple agreement at this early stage.

"Governor Wike has said several times that they committed to the fact that Ayu will resign, so our question is why are they reneging on that promise? It is not a good omen at all. Even if they did not make the pledge, how on earth can both of them come from the north?

"Does it mean the south is not relevant to the PDP? What of the southeast that has remained the most loyal region to the PDP? What have they benefited?

“We heard what Atiku said in Oyo clearly, we are not kids, the message is clear enough. What he has just told the south clearly is that Ayu is not resigning and that they can do without us. We shall go into our room and take our own decision.”