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PDP BoT wants Ayu to resign after elections

By Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Abuja
15 October 2022   |   4:07 am
The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rose from a marathon meeting in Abuja on Friday and charged the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, to give a strong assurance to party members that he would resign immediately after the 2023 presidential elections.

PHOTO: PHILIP OJISUA

Ayu Denies Receiving N1B Bribe, Others
The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rose from a marathon meeting in Abuja on Friday and charged the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, to give a strong assurance to party members that he would resign immediately after the 2023 presidential elections.

It equally charged all party leaders, who had made commitments in the past to match their words with actions.

Responding to questions concerning the allegation that he received N1 billion bribe before the May 28th-29th presidential primary election of the PDP, Ayu said he never received any money from anybody.

Ayu said, “This is a meeting of the BoT which I am only a member, as allegations persist, it is an opportunity to clear the air. I decided not to respond, not to encourage altercations in the party. However, I want to make it clear that at no time did I as the National Chairman of the party collect any N1billion from anybody.”

He said the party even rejected the advice by presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to take a loan when it was facing financial challenges.

“When we came in and the party has funding difficulties, the presidential candidate suggested that we should take a loan from the bank and the owner of that bank is a member of the party, he has even left the party. The party never took any loan from anybody. Any money advanced to the party was declared before the National Working Committee (NWC) and handed over to the National Treasurer. All our accounts are up to date and we promised to publish the accounts at the end of the year,” he said.

On the allegation that Ayu collected another N100 million, he said: “On today’s allegations, I fully briefed the BoT that one of our governors made a contribution of N100 million for the revival of the Peoples Democratic Institute (PDI), which was housed in a portacabin and I explained to them that we hired an appropriate place in Asokoro, renovated and furnished it.

“Three days ago, we went there, inspected it and the NWC decided that before commissioning, we should invite the governor in question to come and inspect what we have done with his contribution,” the PDP Chairman added.

“I am happy that the National Secretary of the party has since written a letter to that governor. The NWC, or I have never taken any money to carry out that renovation. In fact, we have not even exhausted that N100 million by one of the governors,” he stated.

Ayu expressed displeasure about what he described as persistent attacks on him and his family.

“Despite the consistent attack on my person since the end of the convention in May 31, 2022, I have refrained from reacting as the father of the party. I felt I should encourage reconciliation. But where it touches on my personal integrity or even my family members brought into play, I appealed to such people to desist from trying to malign my character or bringing my family into party affairs.”

The communiqué read by the BoT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, after the meeting called on all party leaders and persons close to them, to desist from making further inflammatory remarks or granting press interviews.

The BoT also called on the chairmen of the PDP and Governors’ Forum to convene a meeting of the PDP Governors’ Forum without further delay.

It equally charged all the leaders of the party to match words with action and where commitments are made to unconditionally fulfill it.

“In the same vein, the BoT Chairman has been authorised to offer apologies on behalf of all members, who feel malign or aggrieved by the public statements made by its members across the country that has sharpen the current division in the party,” the communiqué stated.

The BoT also called on the presidential candidate to review its appointments of members of the campaign council and other advisory appointments to make it all-inclusive.

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