Ayu Refuses To Be ‘Sacrificial Lamb’ As Atiku In Dilemma Over Wike’s Request

Indications emerged revealing that the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Iyorchia Ayu, may not step down from office.

Naija News reports that Ayu’s resignation was part of demands tabled before the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and his allies in London last week.

It was gathered that even if Ayu steps down from his position, another person from the same Northern region must take his place as prescribed by the PDP constitution.

According to the party’s constitution, once a national chairman resigns his office, he must be succeeded by a new candidate from the same geopolitical zone.

This and other requests by Governor Wike, according to sources, have placed Atiku in a dilemma.

The Wike Camp, who also asked that Ayu be given a dignified exit and accommodated in the new PDP government when it is formed in 2023, extracted a commitment from Atiku to be allowed to produce Ayu’s replacement from the South West Zone.

Speaking on the crisis rocking the PDP, a former member of the National Working Committee (NWC) told Vanguard that Ayu had reiterated his resolve not to step down.

The source said: “Atiku may consider Wike’s demands that Ayu should step down, but Ayu will resist the move for his resignation. He argues that he cannot assist Atiku and Okowa to become the presidential candidate and the running mate, and then they cannot stand by him.

“He is insisting that he cannot be the sacrificial lamb.

‘’This is a dilemma for them. Ayu is insisting that Atiku and the PDP damn Wike on calls for his (Ayu’s) resignation, and if he does not resign at the end of the day, the Wike camp will take its next step as regards their political future.”

Danger And Risk

Meanwhile, An ally of Atiku told Vanguard that loyalists of the PDP presidential candidate had accused Wike of taking his grievances too far.

He, however, stated that Atiku might consider Wike’s request.

He said: “There are a lot of interests around the principal who do not accept Wike’s demands. These interests around Atiku feel that such request is not coming in good faith, and they believe that it is dangerous, risky, and dicey to tinker with the current formation of the party and the NWC just a few weeks to the general campaign.”

Asked whether Atiku was disposed to Wike’s demands, the source said: “Anything that will make the party united is what he (Atiku) will go for, but on Wike’s request, I will say he (Atiku) is in a dilemma between those interests and what Wike is asking for.

“Let’s be honest with ourselves, what Wike is asking for is extreme because a lot of these candidates you are talking about, the Ayu executive brought them in, and you cannot now say you want to trade them off.”