Peoples Democratic Party’s Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, has spoken on the pressure being put on him to resign.
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State is in the vanguard of those championing the call, saying it was not proper to have a both the chairman and presidential candidate from the North.
Ayu, however, neglected the call on Friday, rather saying he would not be in power forever.
This is as Bene State Governor, Samuel Ortom said it was not right for Ayu to remain in office after he had promised to step down if a northerner emerged the presidential candidate.
Speaking on the matter on Friday, Ortom said Ayu should either resign or beg the aggrieved party.
Ayu particularly spoke on allegations of misappropriation against his office, saying they were untrue.
While welcoming the Forum of Elected Ex-Officio Members of the party who paid him a solidarity visit at the PDP National Headquarters in Abuja, Ayu said, “The PDP was not founded to be in opposition. We founded the party to access power and develop the country. And my historic task is to return the party to power. I won’t be Chairman forever. For now, my preoccupation is to return the Party to power. I did not come to steal. My public service record is there.
“I have been a leader of the National Assembly. I have been a minister many times. As a person, I have many faults, but stealing is not one of them. I am conscious of my place in history, and the NWC that I lead is guided by the twin principles of transparency and accountability.
“You may be reading many things and expecting my reaction. If we don’t always talk, it is because we want to maintain and build cohesion in the party. We don’t want continuous altercations in the PDP Family. Our eyes are on the big picture i.e. winning the 2023 general elections.
“Therefore, let us not lose focus. Let us keep our eyes glued to the big picture. Everything else is secondary. We took office because there was a crisis in the party.
“And we don’t want to keep moving from crisis to crisis. It’s not good for the party. We can’t be in perpetual crises, especially where the crisis is artificial.”
