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Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says the only way Iyorchia Ayu can be removed as chairman of the party is when the PDP constitution is amended.
Abubakar spoke on Wednesday in Ibadan, the Oyo capital, during a meeting with party stakeholders.
There have been calls — including from Nyesom Wike, Rivers governor — for Ayu to step down from his position on the grounds that the PDP presidential candidate and national chairman cannot be from the same zone.
On Wednesday, Seyi Makinde, Oyo governor, had also said the PDP chairman must resign.
Responding, Abubakar said such a decision cannot be taken without considering the legal implications.
“The Peoples Democratic Party is the oldest political party in Nigeria since the return of democracy and even before then, it is a party that has laid-down rules and regulations,” he said.
“I have been a member of the party since when it was formed and I am still a member of the party up to the point of what it has grown to become.
“There is nothing any individual can do to change the outlook of the national working committee of the PDP.
“The PDP is a party where there are laid-down rules and regulations. What Governor Makinde is asking for is possible only when we have amended our party’s constitution.
“As things stand today, no single individual has the power to tamper with the NWC of the party. Doing so will be illegal and it will be against our rules in the party.
“Nigerians will not trust us to govern by the tenets of rule of law if we take such arbitrary action against our own party.”
According to a statement by Paul Ibe, media adviser to the PDP presidential candidate, aside from the Oyo governor, those at the meeting included Ladi Adebutu, Ogun PDP governorship candidate; Ayo Fayose, former Ekiti governor; Ademola Adeleke, Osun governor-elect; as well as Olajide Adediran and Funke Akindele, Lagos PDP governorship and deputy governorship candidates.
Also present were Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta governor and PDP vice-presidential candidate; Aminu Tambuwal, Sokoto governor; Liyel Imoke, former Cross River governor; Umar Damagum, PDP deputy national chairman (north); and Taofeek Arapaja, national deputy chairman (south).
