Ayu to Embark on Two Weeks Trip

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Iyorchia Ayu, will be on a trip overseas for two weeks from Wednesday.

Ayu’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Simon Imobo-Tswam, had in a statement said, “While away, the Deputy Chairman (North), Amb. Iliya Damagun, will act in his place,”.

He continued by saying that Ayu had informed the Independent National Electoral Commission about the transfer.

Ayu’s vacation abroad takes place when the opposition party is attempting to put an end to a crisis.

Ayu recently pleaded with Adolphus Wabara, the acting chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, to assist in resolving the problem in the party by reaching out to resentful party members.

After former vice president Atiku Abubakar of Adamawa State won the PDP’s presidential primaries in May, tensions inside the party grew worse. At the primary election site, a candidate, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, resigned for Atiku, angering Governor Nyesom Wike of River State.

While Wike came second in the poll, Atiku snubbed him to announce Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as his running mate.

Wike asked that Ayu (from Benue State) resign so that a southerner might take her place, claiming that northerners shouldn’t hold onto two positions at once.

Wabara from Abia State took over as acting PDP BoT Chair last week after Walid Jibrin (from Nasarawa State) resigned in an effort to end the party’s lingering issues.

The National Working Committee would visit Wike in Port Harcourt “for full reconciliation,” according to Ayu.