Atiku Vs Wike: Southern NWC Members Stage Walkout On Ayu

The plot to force the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu, to resign thickened on Wednesday during the national caucus meeting of the party.

Naija News reports that the PDP NWC and National Caucus met over the rift between Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Wike and his allies, who have lamented the sidelining of the South in major positions in the party, had demanded Ayu’s resignation, amongst others, for the PDP to have peace.

The Rivers governor’s camp had on many occasions condemned the lack of power distribution which has seen the North take charge of key positions in the party.

Ayu, however, has insisted that he would remain in office and won’t listen to people calling for his resignation, whom he described as children working to destroy the party.

According to ThisDay, the Southern National Working Committee members of the party staged a walkout on Ayu during the crucial meeting held at Akwa Ibom Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja.

The southern caucus led by the party’s Deputy National Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja, walked out on Ayu over his refusal to resign from office as demanded by the Wike camp.

It was learned that Ayu had said that he will step down for a committee of the whole NWC to be led by the Deputy National Chairman (North), Umar Damagum, for peace to reign in the party.

But the Southern caucus rejected the proposal and walked out on the national chairman for jettisoning the call for his resignation.

It was also gathered that some members of the NWC had blamed Ayu for escalating the party crisis with his provocative comments.

The meeting, however, came to an end shortly after the walkout.