March 27, (THEWILL) – The National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Iyorchia Ayu, has said that only the National Executive Committee of the party (NEC), can suspend him and that he cannot be suspended by a ward executive.
Ayu, who was reacting to his alleged suspension by the Executive Committee of his ward, Sunday, said he has not been suspended, saying some members of the Exco are only being tele-guided by political gamblers to cause mischief and nothing more.
In a statement issued and signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Simon Imobo-Tswam, Ayu said, “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.”
He said 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 tipexed 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”.
Ayu further said that 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.
He advised the general public to ignore the rumour of his suspension saying those behind the plot are only investing in expensive illusions.
AYO ESAN, has been actively reporting and analyzing political events for different newspapers for over 18 years. He has also successfully covered national and state elections in Nigeria since the inception of this democracy in 1999.
