Concerned members and stakeholders in Oyo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Friday, dissociated itself from the call by Governor Seyi Makinde for resignation of the party’s national chairman, Dr Iyorcha Ayu.
The group in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Hon. Yemi Agboola, declared that there was “no Oyo State PDP Executive or membership decision that called for resignation of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu or his removal from office as the National Chairman of the party.”
In the statement, the PDP group also asked Gov Makinde to retract his statement allegedly made at a group meeting in Rivers state, saying, PDP stakeholders in Oyo state ” were really surprised at the statement made by the state governor who constituted himself into thinking, deciding and mouthpiece of the entire members and stakeholders of Oyo state political party.
“Oyo state PDP never at any state forum, called for unconstitutional resignation or removal of the National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu at this critical period of few months to elections. It is illogical that such call, which was not made at the Presidential primaries of the party is now the only point of destabilising the smooth planning towards the forthcoming general elections”, it said.
The group added, “we therefore, owe it as a sense of responsibility, to demand that Gov. Seyi Makinde withdraws his statement at his group meeting, which was held in Rivers State, as such statement does not represent Oyo state PDP.
“To start with, Oyo state does not have party executive, which is attested to by the Court of Law. There is therefore, no Oyo State PDP Executive or membership decision that called for resignation of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu or his removal from office as the National Chairman of the party.”
Oyo PDP stakeholders stressed, ” secondly, there was /is no decision by Oyo State PDP that Gov. Makinde should speak on behalf of the state PDP, in a call for resignation or removal of Dr. Ayu from office, neither at the Gov. Makinde’s arranged forum of Wednesday, September 14, 2023, in Ibadan or the most recent group meeting in Rivers state.
“Engr. Seyi Makinde joined PDP just about four years ago, and the fact that the loyal and dedicated members, leaders and stakeholders of the party in Oyo state had endured all the recklessness and alleged atrocious actions of Seyi Makinde does not mean that such people should continue to treat all those he met in the party as filths or outcasts in the party that thought Seyi Makinde should be supported, by all and sundry, especially, the older and elderly members of PDP that he met in the party.”
Emphasizing that “PDP is a party that ‘believes and understands the importance of building bridges of peace, love and understanding between the North and the South and ensuring fairness, justice and equity for all’, the group said, ” that is the major reason that genuine party members, who wants the party still together have been quiet. However, it is important to highlight that PDP follows rules and regulations, including those affecting the constitution of the party.
“PDP, as a party with required morals and decency consider it immoral to call for resignation of a national Chairman, simply based on a “discussion” that we were not part of and which if indeed decided, were non-constitutional decision. Howbeit, we will not be surprised if allegations are raised against the National Chairman, just to make him leave the office. It is not only that same people will campaign against the party that its Chairmen are always sent packing but the more the call for resignation, the stronger the suspicion that there are some likely dangerous moves against the party in near future.”
