The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar on Wednesday told a faction in the party led by Governor Nyesom Wike that he has no power to force the national chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, to resign.
Reacting to the faction’s withdrawal from the PDP presidential campaign council, he explained that there are processes to removing Ayu as chairman of the party.
In a statement, Atiku stated that, “On the calls for the resignation or removal from office of our national chairman, however, I must reiterate what I have said severally in public and in private; the decision for Dr. Iyorchia Ayu to resign from office is personal to Dr. Ayu and, neither I nor anyone else can make that decision for him.
“As to the calls for the removal of Dr. Ayu from office, however, I will state that, as a committed democrat and firm believer in the rule of law and democratic tenets, and our party being one set up, organised and regulated by law and our constitution, it is my absolute belief that every thing that we do in our party must be done in accordance with, and conformity to, the law and our constitution.
“If Dr. Ayu is to be removed from office, it must be done in accordance with the laws that set out the basis for such removal. In any event, you will all recall that the very body that is empowered by law to initiate this removal from office, has already passed a vote of confidence in him.”
Chronicle NG had earlier reported that Wike’s faction which includes Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state and Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state has pulled out from the presidential campaign council.
