Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Monday declared to Sen. Iyorchia Ayu, the embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), that the war with him has just started.

The governor’s declaration is coming on the heels of the suspension of Ayu by the Executive Committee of the Igyorov ward in Gboko local government area of Benue state.

In his reaction to the suspension, Wike told the PDP National Chairman that the fight against him in the party has just started.

The governor stated that it has now become unthinkable to allow any person who was unable to deliver his political unit, ward, local government or state to the PDP during the last general elections to preside over the PDP.

Wike made his mind known during the inauguration of the remodelled Community Secondary School, Okoro-nu-Odo, in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of the State.

He accused Ayu of collecting bribes and yet the PDP experienced colossal failure in the 2023 presidential and governorship elections in Benue and across the country.

Wike said; “Ask them, those who want to be chairman of this party (PDP), what do you have to give to the party now? Presidential election; you took bribe, and lost in your unit, lost in your ward, lost in your local government and lost in your State. Which party will you preside over now?”

He said that it was God who hardened Ayu’s heart not to resign when the G-5 governors and members of Integrity Group demanded for his resignation after the emergence of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the PDP presidential candidate.

He noted that if Ayu had resigned then, his cohorts who were vehemently opposed to the zoning of elective and appointive offices would have used that as an excuse for the party’s abysmal performance in the just concluded general elections.

The governor said it would be morally offensive for Ayu to remain as the national chairman of the PDP after the catastrophic defeat of the party under his watch in his unit, ward, local government, state and national stressing that the suspension of Ayu is the beginning of the fight to save the party.

“Those of you who are fighting that they have suspended him, you have not seen anything yet. The fight has started. Ayu, the fight has just started. If you know him, those of you who are close to him, tell him, Iyorchia Ayu, the fight has just started," Wike added

He insisted that instead of Ayu, using his position to strengthen the grip of PDP on Benue State, he allowed it slip off him saying that to him, other PDP controlled states could sustain the party financially and tolerate him as their chairman.

“Will you preside over the one (Rivers PDP) I have secured victory for? You want to come and preside over this state (Rivers) so that we will begin to donate money to the party? You, bring your own state to the party too, so that your etate can contribute money to the national. If you don’t deliver your state, you can’t preside over us. You cannot " he emphasised.

(Courtesy, excluding headline, Nigerian Tribune)

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