National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, on Tuesday, backed down as the chairman of the party, while the Deputy National Chairman, (North) Umar Iliya Damagum, took over as the acting chairman pending the determination of the case in court.
A High Court in Makurdi, the Benue state capital, on Monday, stopped Ayu from addressing himself as National Chairman of the party, till the determination of the substantive suit which has been adjourned to April 17, 2023 for hearing.
The Plaintiff, Terhide Utaan, a member of the PDP from Benue State, obtained the order restraining Ayu from parading himself as national chairman of the party before Justice W. I Kpochi, of the state high court.
Utaan, described as wrong the continued stay of Ayu as chairman of the party after his ward, Igyorov Ward Exco, suspended him saying his continuing stay as national chairman would further disunite the party.
Igyorov Ward Exco suspended Ayu for anti-party activities following the party’s loss in the presidential election.
But on Monday, media aide Simon Imobo-Tswam, in a statemnt said the ward lacked the powers to suspend him.
Ayu’s political ‘enemy’ in the PDP and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike on Monday, was joyous over the suspension of Ayu by his Benue State ward exco, who passed a vote of no confidence in him.
“I am not from Benue State, but I am happy, and now that Benue State has done it, we would now come out and say we are in support of it,” he said.
Wike had been mounting pressure on the PDP leadership, calling for the resignation of Ayu to allow equity, fairness and justice for Southern chairman of the party, before the presidential election.
