…Says I’m not scared of EFCC after office
Adding to contentions in the party, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, hss accused the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Senator Iyorchia Ayu of financial misappropriation, alleging the leadership squandered N12.5 billion party funds in two months.
Wike who raised the allegation at the commissioning of internal roads in Rumuigbo, Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, however said despite the troubles of the party, it would regain its force of dominance with the new leadership.
“I believe we should have strong leadership. I can’t support people whose interest is only to amass money.
“I can’t support people where we did congresses and raised about N12.5 billion, and within two months, that money was gone.
“Somebody stayed in office for one year and he is building an institution. I won’t support such. That is why we believe PDP will be strengthened with the new leadership.
“I owe no apology to anybody. I said it before, this is the final fight we will fight and we are going to win this fight,” he said.
He preempted that the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) may come after him after leaving office as Governor, but bragged that his works were enough justification that he deployed resources of the State for good use, saying that such thought isn’t potent to scare him.
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, who was a guest at commissioning event of the projects, applauded Wike for executing vital projects for the Rivers people.
Bala acknowledged Wike’s commitment to vital projects to the common good of residents of the State despite shrinking revenue.
He also acknowledged the efforts of Wike demonstrated in ensuring PDP won the governorship, all the State Assembly and three senatorial seats in Rivers, as well as his contribution to mobilise votes for his preferred southern Presidential candidate.
Wike is a member of the G-5 who fell out with the National leadership of the party, particularly demanding the resignation of Senator Iyorchia Ayu as National Chairman.
The supremacy battle had culminated on Tuesday with replacement of Ayu with a new National Chairman, Umar Damagum, in acting capacity.
Prior to his appointment, Damagum was the National Vice-Chairman (North) of the PDP.
Ayu’s fate in the supremacy struggle was shattered on Monday following an order of the Court restraining him from parading himself as the National Chairman of the PDP, having been suspended from his Ward.
Consequently, in what seemed to have given those against his leadership a field day, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP, on Tuesday, had announced the replacement of embattled Ayu, with the National Vice-Chairman (North), Umar Damagum, as the acting Chairman of the PDP.
The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, who announced the appointment at a press conference following an emergency meeting on Tuesday, said that the action was informed by the Monday March 27, 2023, High Court Order in Benue State restraining Ayu from parading himself as the party’s Chairman.
Ologunagba while addressing the press conference had said, “The presiding judge, Justice W.I. Kpochi, gave the interim order on Monday in the suit No. MHC/85/2023 filed at the court by Terhide Utaan with Ayu and the PDP as defendants. On Tuesday, March 28, 2023, we acknowledge the order of the Benue State High Court, dated March 27, 2023 with regards to the chairmanship position of our great Party.
“After a careful consideration of the court order and in line with Section 45 (2) of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017), the NWC resolved that the Deputy National Chairman (North) His Excellency, Amb. Umar Ililya Damagum, assumes the National Chairmanship of our party in acting capacity with effect from today, Tuesday, March 28, 2023.”
Although Ayu had tried to fight back against his suspension from his Ward in Gboko Local Government Area (LGA) in Benue State, the Court on Monday handicapped him with an injunction restraining him from “parading himself as the National Chairman of the PDP.”
Battle against Ayu to oust him from the chairmanship position of the PDP heightened on Sunday as 12 out of the 17 member Executive of the Igyorov Council Ward of the PDP in Gboko LGA, Benue, declared his suspension after passing a vote of no confidence on him over alleged anti party activities.
The battle in the PDP has assumed a rougher dimension since the conclusion of the presidential election that saw PDP lost to the APC.
The crises in the Party worsened with series of suspension of members with Ayu himself, on Sunday coming under a stroke of suspension.
The suspension of Ayu was effected from his Ward – Igyorov Ward of Gboko Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State, by the Ward Executive of the Party.
Ayu’s suspension came with immediate effect less than a week after the Party’s NWC lashed some of its key members including former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose; former President of the Senate, Pius Anyim; and others, including Prof Dennis Ityavyar and Aslam Aliyu, with suspension.
The Party had also referred Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom to the National Disciplinary Committee over his reported involvement in anti-party activities.
Ortom is a member of the G-5 PDP Governors who demanded the resignation of Ayu as National Chairman in the build-up to the General Elections and his replacement by a southerner, since Atiku Abubakar the presidential candidate of the party is from the North.
Wike, Ortom, Fayose and others had in reaction to Ayu’s move said he was in for a show-down which he can’t win.
Recall, in swift reaction to his referral to the party’s disciplinary committee, Ortom, had last Thursday said Ayu, ought rather to be the one to face the party’s disciplinary panel for anti-party activities and not him.
He had said Ayu should be explaining to party members how he lost his polling unit, Ward, LGA and State during the last general elections instead of chasing shadows.
Ortom had also dismissed his referral to the disciplinary panel over alleged anti-party activities as contempt of a subsisting Court Order.
On his own response to his suspension, Fayose, had said the days of Ayu as National Chairman of the PDP are numbered.
Recall Wike had on Monday prior to Ayu’s replacement on Tuesday challenged him to a fight for the soul of the PDP, stating it is impossible for the the later to preside over the Party, particularly for his State where he said he has fought to retain a victory for the party.
Wike a member of the G-5 governors who fell out with the party leadership demanding the resignation of Ayu, during inauguration of remodelled Community Secondary School, Okoro-nu-Odo, Obio-Akpor Local Government Area (LGA), Rivers State, on Monday, referring to Ayu, declared that a person who failed to secure victory for the Party in his Unit, Ward, LGA or State in the 2023 general elections does not deserve to be allowed to preside over the Party.
He had said, “Ask those who want to be Chairman of this Party (PDP), what do you have to give 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?
“Those 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.
“Will you preside over the one (Rivers PDP) I have secured victory for? You want to come and preside over this State so that we will begin to donate money to the party? Bring your own State to the party too, so your State can contribute money to the national. If you don’t deliver your State, you can’t preside over us. You cannot.
“Look at somebody who did anti-party, he is suspending people. The chief priest of anti-party, native doctor of anti-party, suspending those who have worked hard for this party. All of you joining Ayu, be prepared. Now, I have no other job. The job I have now is to put more heat on them and I will continue to do that.
“If you like, let the National Secretary rush to Abuja. Let them meet this afternoon and say the suspension is illegal, you will see what you will face. You are calling us small boys, you will see what small boys can do to you.”