The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu has dismissed his reported suspension by executives of his Igyorov Council Ward in Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State, North-Central Nigeria as “rumours”.
In a statement by his media aide, Simon Imobo-Tswam, the former President of the Senate says Article 57(7) of the party’s 2017 amended Constitution “expressly prohibits any organ” at Ward or State Level from taking any disciplinary measure against any National Executive Committee member.
Dr. Ayu alleges that “the so-called suspension letter” is fraudulent as signatures of the Ward Executives were forged or obtained under duress without that of the chairman, his deputy and legal adviser while nine of them are still being held hostage in Makurdi for obvious reasons.
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Below is the full text of the statement from Office of the PDP National Chairman on his reported suspension:
PRESS STATEMENT (27th/03/’23)
Our attention has been drawn to rumours that the PDP National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, has been suspended by the Executive Committee of his Ward.
We wish to state categorically and with all emphasis at our disposal thus:
- The PDP National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, has not been suspended by his Ward. Some members of the Exco are only being teleguided by political gamblers to cause mischief and nothing more.
- For starters, Article 57(7) of the PDP Constitution as Amended in 2017 expressly prohibits any organ of the party or executive committee of the party at the Ward or State Level from taking any disciplinary measure against any member of the party’s National Executive Committee.
- The purported suspension is, therefore, an exercise in futility as it derives its strength majorly from gross illiteracy, ignorance, gambling and desperation. It has only mischief, drama and propaganda value.
- But more than this, the so-called suspension letter was written by an illiterate before hand, and only given to the coerced members to sign somewhere in Makurdi.
- This is why the original date is typed and 24 March imposed on it. And this is also why it states that the Presidential/NASS and Governorship/State Assembly elections held on 25th and 18th March, 2023 respectively.
- From what we know, document itself is fraudulent as the signatures of the Ward Executives were forged or obtained under duress.
The chairman, his deputy and legal adviser didn’t sign. The 14th person on the list didn’t sign too. She was at NKST Ambighir for the Holy Communion. - In fact, the same applies for Nos. 5, 8 and 16. At the time they were supposed to be in Makurdi with the other coerced, intimidated and induced members of the Exco, they were actually in their villages, going about their normal businesses.
- Up till now, about nine members of the Ward Exco are still being held hostage in a location in Makurdi for obvious reasons. And expectedly, their mobile numbers have been switched off. It is instructive.
- The general public is hereby advised to ignore rumours to this heinous effect. Those behind the plot are only investing in expensive illusions.
Simon Imobo-Tswam
(Special Adviser to the National Chairman on Media and Communications).
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
