The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Osun State chapter has distanced self from the call made by the party’s leaders in the South West that Dr. Iyorchia Ayu should resign as the national chairman.
This was revealed a statement issued in Osogbo on Thursday by the caretaker chairman of the party Dr. Akindele Adekunle.
He said there was no meeting where the South West agreed to call for the removal of Ayu, noting that “the call is not a mainstream position of the party in the region.”
Recall that Oyo State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde, had during the South West stakeholders’ meeting with the presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar, in Ibadan, on Wednesday, called for Ayu’s resignation, saying it was necessary if the party must move forward.
Makinde added that he was speaking on behalf of the party’s leadership in the South West.
Part of the statement reads;
“The leadership of the PDP in Osun State wishes to affirm that we are not part of any revolt against the national leadership of the PDP. We remain guided and loyal to the PDP Constitution which stipulates processes for leadership election and removal. As a party with a democratic tradition, we see no justification for any anti-democratic agitation to torpedo the ship of the party at this very critical stage of national campaigns and pre-election preparation.
“Dr. Ayu, who was duly elected at a properly constituted National Convention with a four-year mandate also has the vote of confidence of the party’s National Executive Committee, the party’s highest decision-making organ. Our party Chairman is a principled leader whose integrity is second to none. We consequently disagree with any move to undermine the office of the National Chairman,”
At the meeting in Ibadan, Atiku, while responding to Makinde’s call, had said that Ayu’s resignation was achievable as long as it followed the party’s constitution.
Commending Atiku for his stance, the PDP in Osun State, said: “We commend the presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, for his steadfastness and commitment to upholding the party’s constitution. His response in support of the party’s constitution reassured all that the PDP is a party of law and due process.”
“We also use this medium, on behalf of our teeming members, to apologise to members of the PDP National Working Committee and other leaders over the embarrassment the resignation call may have caused them. The occasion was a solemn one where party loyalists gathered to host our national leaders and demonstrate our preparedness for the task ahead. It was not an avenue for factional rhetoric.