A plot by some southern governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party to remove its National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu from office is gaining momentum.
Thus, the embattled former President of the Senate has returned to the country to meet the governors and other stakeholders.
According to THISDAY, some of the governors are championing the removal of Ayu from office in line with the zoning principle, which ensures that the national chairman of the party and its presidential candidate should not come from one geographical zone.
The investigation further revealed that with the return of Ayu from vacation, the party has activated a series of meetings to starve off the agitation for his removal from office.
Some chieftains of the party who spoke to THISDAY stated that he rushed back to Nigeria to meet the aggrieved stakeholders.
Multiple sources said the calls for his resignation were being amplified by the members of the camp of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, who feel the former Senate President was not neutral but sided with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar during the presidential primary.
It was also gathered that some of the PDP governors who are sympathetic to Ayu, including his state governor, Samuel Ortom of Benue State have stepped in to avert his removal.
Also to address the grievances of some governors of the PDP over the choice of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as the party’s vice-presidential candidate, the chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Mr Walid Jubrin is said to be championing a reconciliation meeting with the governors of the party to appease Rivers State Governor, Mr Nyesom Wike.
A member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party told THISDAY that “it is not that the governors of the party are insisting that Atiku must change Okowa. No! We want all issues to be put on the table and let them be addressed as in the case of who gets what.
“The National Chairman is back and he has lined up a series of meetings to address this perceived crisis, including agitations for his removal.
“He is billed to meet the PDP governors, the BoT members and even former PDP governors and Atiku once he returns to the country. It is expected that Ayu will use the Sallah break to reach out to those aggrieved as well as those perceived as his friends.
“The meetings to follow must address the power-sharing when the PDP comes to power.
“It is not going to be blind followership. Every group must know what is in stock for it. We are sure that after the meetings, these agitations will reduce”, the NWC member said.
The source explained that it was agreed that at the pre-convention stages in October 2021 that if the presidential candidate comes from the North, the National Chairman should resign.
He argued that “this may not be the best time for a leadership change from the top, but what ought to be addressed should be addressed. We are sure that with Ayu, the series of consultations and meetings with the PDP governors’ forum and other stakeholders will commence immediately after the Sallah break. It is expected that the expected talks should start within breaks.”
Some stakeholders of the party have also insisted that Ayu’s position should be given to the South-east for equity and justice.
The stakeholders stated in a memorandum submitted to the BoT insisted that the South-east should be considered for the post of national chairman to appease the zone.
On his part, the chairman of PDP BoT, Jibrin told THISDAY that he would meet Atiku to present the BoT’s recommendations to him.
According to him, Atiku should lead the reconciliation talks with Wike.
“Wike should be given a sense of belonging,” he said.
Jibrin insisted that the BoT had already set up a high-level committee, to be led by Atiku and 13 governors of the party to meet with the aggrieved politicians, particularly Wike and his supporters.
“There are many issues relating to campaign strategies, including setting up of committees to handle vital aspects that have been pending. We can’t do anything on these until the presidential candidate is around,” he added.