Elder statesman and leader of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum, Chief Edwin Clark, has asked the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, to resign.
According to him, Ayu is no longer fit and proper to retain his position as the national chairman of the PDP.
Clark, a former First Republic federal Commissioner of Information, said this in a statement yesterday, titled: Resign now: Youre no longer fit to remain PDP national chairman, Clark tells Iyorchia Ayu”.
He said, Even much worse, in the extreme, was the action of the National Chairman of the PDP, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, in his open visit to Governor Tambuwal to congratulate and hail him, in his words, as the hero of the convention.
This clearly reveals his partiality and predilection in the processes leading to the baffling conclusion of the PDP presidential primary. His undignified and parochial conduct, to please his northern principals, is not only a big disgrace to the office he occupies but, also, a sad display of lewd subservience to the political subjugation of one ethnic group, in a diverse country like Nigeria.
We had earlier suspected that he was in favour of a Northern candidate, when on the day of his inauguration as national chairman, last year, he, needlessly, said during his speech, that he would resign if a Northerner emerged as the presidential candidate of the party.
Senator Ayu has failed to realize that what we are fighting for affects all minorities in Nigeria. The Southern Nigeria relationship with the Middle-Belt is well established, dating back to the First Republic, during the period of Dr. J. S. Tarka, from todays Benue State, a founding member of the then, United Middle-Belt Congress, and the strong alliance with Chief Obafemi Awolowos Action Group.
Senator Iyorchia Ayus appalling, thoughtless and unpatriotic public conduct bears grave negative consequences. He should, therefore, no longer consider himself fit and proper to retain his position as the National Chairman of the PDP, and should resign now”.
The elder statesman said he decided to issue his press statement “because of the worrying occurrences in our polity vis-a-vis the dappled party primaries being conducted, across the country; the reported outrageous financial inducements of delegates and the cynical dollarisation of the electoral process.
These happenings give strong warnings of, more likely, deleterious outcomes of the 2023 general elections, mainly the Presidential, and their aftermaths”.
