- Say they were forged
From Fred Itua, Abuja
In a new twist of events, the executive committee members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Igyorov Ward of Benue State, have distanced themselves from the suspension of the party’s national Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.
In a letter addressed to the PDP chairman in Gboko Local Government Area of the state, the committee members said they did not endorse Ayu’s suspension and have no part in it.
They said the suspension was made without due process and proper consultation with all relevant stakeholders, adding that their signatures were forged to issue the “mischievous letter” announcing Ayu’s suspension.
“The executive committee have never discussed in any of our meetings prior to election or post-2023 General Election about the conduct of the National Chairman,” they said in the letter signed by the party’s Deputy Chairman in the ward and 15 others.
“The Executive Committee Members have stated clearly that they have no knowledge about the letter and have not authorized anybody whatsoever to generate such mischievous letter on behalf of the Executive Committee.
“The purported signatures on the letter are forged and no member of the PDP Executive Committee of Igyorov Council Ward has signed that letter nor caused it to be signed on his or her behalf.
“The names of the Executive Committee Members are wrongly written and spelt which shows the desperation of the mischief makers. The content of the purported letter itself is contradictory to the holding of the presidential and National Assembly Elections on March 25, 2023, while the letter itself is dated 24th March 2023.
“The letter was written before the purported Commission of the offence which shows clearly that it is the handwork of the mischief makers,” the letter read.
The party executives further passed a vote of confidence on Ayu while also declaring “full support for his pragmatic leadership style (as the National Chairman of the Party) by taking our party to higher heights.”
Earlier, Ayu had declared that based on provisions in Article 57(7) of the PDP constitution, party executives at the state or ward levels lack the powers to suspend him or take any disciplinary measure against any member of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
“The purported suspension is, therefore, an exercise in futility as it derives its strength majorly from gross illiteracy, ignorance, gambling and desperation. It has only mischief, drama and propaganda value,” he further declared.