{"id":106518,"date":"2023-07-29T11:59:34","date_gmt":"2023-07-29T10:59:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?p=106518"},"modified":"2023-07-29T11:59:34","modified_gmt":"2023-07-29T10:59:34","slug":"pdp-set-to-retain-chairmanship-in-north-central-ayus-loyalist-kicks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/exclusive\/pdp-set-to-retain-chairmanship-in-north-central-ayus-loyalist-kicks\/","title":{"rendered":"PDP set to retain chairmanship in North Central, Ayu\u2019s loyalist kicks"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
By Bayo Davids<\/div>\n
\n
\nStrong indications have emerged that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may have resolved to pick its substantive National Chairman from the North Central geo-political zone.<\/p>\n

This, according to credible sources, is to ensure that the suspended chairman, Iyorchia Ayu is replaced seamlessly without another feud particularly from chieftains of the party from the zone.<\/p>\n

Pointblanknews.com gathered that the development stemmed from an earlier agreement by Governors elected on the platform of the PDP to pick a chairman from a state where the party was not in power.<\/p>\n

A former aide to the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom told our correspondent in confidence that prior to Ayu\u2019s emergence, the then PDP Governors picked the North Central zone but ruled out Benue where Ortom was in charge.<\/p>\n

According to him, any state in the zone apart from Benue could have produced the chairman prior to the 2023 general election but in a twist of fate, Ortom suddenly started campaigning for Ayu, \u201cseeing that some highly placed party chieftains\u201d had chosen the former Minister of Interior as their preferred candidate.<\/p>\n

Speaking exclusively with our correspondent, Ortom\u2019s ex-aide gave reasons the party is again mooting the idea of retaining the chairmanship in the zone.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s not make a mistake about this: Ayu is gone. It is fair to refer to him now as PDP former National Chairman rather than the suspended National Chairman of the PDP. I am not speaking for the party but truth is the North-Central was prior to the 2023 election, favoured to produce the chairman. Now that the administration of Ayu has come to an end, the party would retain this equation because there is no need to alter it. The North-Central will produce the substantive chairman of the party,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

In the same vein, a former Governor of one of the Northern States and a National Executive Committee member of the PDP said the feud which broke out between Ayu and Ortom was what the party wanted to avoid in the first instance, adding that \u201cThis time, we will not make that mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the ex-Governor said, \u201cThe decision to stick with the North-Central is strategic. This time, we must be careful and ensure that past mistakes are not repeated.\u00a0 Just as we had Benue as our only state in the last dispensation, we have Plateau now, which we took from the ruling party. Plateau is out of the list because we have a Governor there now. The constant struggle for power for the soul of a party between a Governor and a Chairman, when they are from the same state, is often at the detriment of the party.\u201d<\/p>\n

He continued, \u201cThese are issues to be deliberated at a NEC meeting, which is why many of us are pushing for one to hold. One of our biggest undoings in the 2023 presidential election was our failure to take a decision on the zoning of the Presidency. We did zone in 2019 to the North but our failure to accord the South the same privilege led to the trouble which gave birth to the G-5 and that cost us a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked if any of the party leaders from the zone has indicated interest in the plum seat, the PDP chieftain said, \u201cIt is too early for this to happen. First, the party must agree on what to do but it is difficult to look beyond North Central for now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, a loyalist of Ayu and a Deputy National Youth Leader of the party, Timoty Osadolor has said that the suspended PDP Chairman will challenge his suspension up to the Supreme Court, adding that until the whole legal option is explored, it would be wrong \u2018To start discussing a post-Ayu PDP.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said, \u201cAyu was only suspended and to the best of my knowledge, he has appealed that ruling. The case may end up at the Supreme Court. But let\u2019s even agree for once that Ayu is not coming back. Is the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagun not doing well? And Who says he can\u2019t become the substantive chairman of the party? Is there any provision in the PDP Constitution which provides that only the North Central should produce the National Chairman? For me, it is premature to start discussing Ayu\u2019s replacement because the man may come back to continue from where he stopped.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not unaware of the disquiet among leaders of the party over the failure of Damagun to call a NEC meeting, Osadolor stressed that before such a meeting is called, those charged with the responsibility of preparing the report of the party\u2019s performance in the 2023 election should do their job and make a presentation to the National Working Committee.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have heard those conversations myself-highly placed members grumbling here and there. But is it only NEC meetings that determine how well a party is doing? Where is the report of the party\u2019s performance which the campaign council ought to prepare? What are we going to discuss when a meeting of NEC is called? Damagun is not doing badly, and he should be left alone to continue to chart a way forward for the PDP,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Should the party resolve to stick with the North-Central if Ayu loses in court, the PDP may pick its next National Chairman from Benue, Nasarawa, Niger, Kwara or Kogi States.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Bayo Davids Strong indications have emerged that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may have resolved to pick its substantive National Chairman from the North Central geo-political zone. 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