2023: PDP National Chairman, Ayu’s Possible Replacements Emerge

The possible replacements for the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu have emerged.

The camp of the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike had insisted on Ayu resigning from office as part of demands to support the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

A party source that spoke with Guardian on Tuesday said the National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT) are considering someone from the South-West as Ayu’s replacement.

Wike’s camp are suggesting the National Vice Chairman (South-West), Eddy Olafeso, or former governorship candidate of the PDP in Lagos State, Jimi Agbaje.

There are indication that some BoT members are rooting for the former governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko as replacement for Ayu.

Some persons in the party are against Mimoko who defected to Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) where he worked against PDP before moving back to the party.

A source said: “Though both of them are from Ondo State, we will rather prefer Dr. Eddy Olafeso, a one-time commissioner in Ondo State, as the new national chairman, but the Wike group are objecting to it, saying Olafeso was a man Friday of the former national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, and by extension Atiku Abubakar’s man too.”

The names of Agbaje and Olafeso might be presented to Atiku in the next few weeks, while Olafeso could emerge as the next PDP national chairman before October.