PDP crisis: Bode George, Wike insist Ayu must go

• PDP not a private company – George
• Arrogance cannot take you to anywhere – Wike

Former South-West Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olabode George, has said that Senator Iyorcha Ayu must quit as national chairman of the party before the commencement of electioneering campaigns for 2023 general elections.

George was special guest to Governor Nyesom Wike on Thursday at Omerelu, Ikwerre Local Government Area for the inauguration of internal roads constructed by the Rivers State Government.

Governor Wike also attacked Ayu, accusing the PDP chairman of ingratitude after he and associates helped to return him as chairman, adding that nothing will save Ayu from being removed.

George said, “The issue of the chairman of PDP must be addressed before commencement of campaigns for the 2023 elections. It is an antithesis and against the norms and culture of our party that our presidential candidate, our national chairman and the chairman of the Board of Trustees will come from one section of the country.

“Party members from the South are already feeling alienated. PDP is not a private company. So, before we start the presidential campaign at the end of this month, the National Chairman must go to the South. That is what Governor Wike is saying and as a life member of the Board of Trustees of our party, I support this position 100 percent.

“Statutorily, it is the national chairman who hands over the party’s flag to our presidential candidate. How will party members from the South feel when they see that at all political rallies Southerners have no public political representation.”

“But we can only go back to Aso Rock if we are united and not divided. Some people are abusing Governor Wike, he is a trouble shooter. Those abusing him, as an elder and as a father in this party, I am directing them, they must stop immediately.

“Governor Wike is only fighting for injustice, equity, fairness in our party. He is not only a strong pillar in this party, but a mobiliser, a financier and an actualizer. Since he joined the PDP, he has not left this party. I’m also in a founding father of the party and since 1998 I have not left this party.”

Wike also told Ayu, “You were sleeping in your house, calling me per second, saying my brother, my brother. Today, all those who brought you as chairman are all boys. Nigerians have seen how ungrateful some of you can be.

“And that is why Nigerians are also careful, thinking if you give these people power, how grateful will they be to Nigerians? I’ve kept quiet thinking we will reconcile. Now that you have become arrogant to say, you were elected; where did you campaign? Where were your campaign posters? Even when we gave you money to print posters, you pocketed it.

“Hire all the media moguls, hire all social media top people, write all you can write, it will not save you. Carry all the television houses working for you, it will not bother me at all. I do what my conscience tells me to do and what is right for our people.

“Ayu said we are children. Yes, the children brought you to be chairman of the party. The children brought you from the gutter and made you chairman. Ayu, you were impeached as Senate president. Ayu was sacked by Obasanjo in his administration two times.

“Arrogance cannot take you to anywhere. Now, we have seen that you don’t want the party to win elections, we’ll help you. When you should instead come out to say, I’m sorry, for the sake of us, he is telling us we are children.

A man who is inconsistent and ran away from the party, telling us who spent our time, had sleepless nights to make sure this party does not go down; now he has the audacity to say we are children. We will tell him ‘you’re a prodigal father’. A man that was impeached, sacked, ran away from the party is now coming to say, ‘I’m a founding member of the party’.”