By Chinelo Obogo
National chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu, has insisted that he would not step down from his position despite the opposition from Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike.
In an interview with BBC Hausa on Wednesday, Ayu described those calling for his resignation as ‘children’ who were not there when the party was formed and who who do not understand the goals of the party.
He stated that as far as he is concerned, party members voted for him and that he has nowhere to go, considering that he was elected based on the laws laid down by the PDP, so he will not step down because of what some people want.
Following the outcome of the PDP presidental primary, Governors Wike, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and former governors Segun Mimiko of Ondo State and Donald Duke of Cross Rivers State have insisted that Ayu must step down before the election so that someone from the South would be the chairman.
But Ayu however said that the current issues with Governor Wike would hinder the party’s victory in the 2023 election.
“I was elected PDP chairman for a four-year tenure and I am not even one year old in this position. The issue of Atiku Abubakar’s election does not apply to the position of party leader. I won the election.
“I haven’t done anything wrong, I’m reforming the party, so, the noise is not bothering me. I know that I am working, I have not stolen money, I have not committed any crime, so I do not see anything to talk about.
“When we started the PDP journey, we did not see these children. They are children who do not know why we established this party. We will not allow one person to come and destroy our party,” he said.
Responding to Ayu’s interview, Wike who was at Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state on Wednesday to flag-off of Igwuruta Internal Roads project, said he cannot be threatened and will only do the bidding of Nigerians not that of a “few individuals.”
He said a time will come when Nigerians will know the characters that will say all kinds of things because of power to destroy their own people.
He said that Rivers’ votes are not for free and that Nigerians will be surprised at the outcome of the 2023 general elections if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is fair and transparent.
“There is no amount of threats that will make me betray my people. I won’t do that; what I have said today is what I will say tomorrow. Go and check our history, we are not known for being betrayals at all.
“Some people threatened that they are former generals, they are close to the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) in America; they can deal with us. I say, listen, no problem, if you are close to America’s CIA, why didn’t you use it to solve the Boko Haram problem? Nigeria has a serious problem and you are linked to the CIA, why not use that contact and solve Nigeria’s problem?
“You want to use it to threaten me, who are you? I should come and do your own bidding? I will not do that; I will do the biddings of Nigerians, not the biddings of a few individuals who believe that if they are not there, it must be their children; no other person should come up. I will not do that. A day shall come and Rivers State will take a decision on what to do,” Wike said.