Former Governor Seeks To Complete Ayu’s Tenure

Former Benue State governor Mr. Gabriel Suswam has requested permission from the Peoples Democratic Party to take over as national chairman and succeed Senator Iyorcha Ayu, who was removed from office by a court order. 

He is confident he has the necessary experience and leadership skills to lead the party to greater heights.

Senator Suswam emphasised that it would be politically advantageous to permit him to fill in for Ayu as an experienced Benue political leader from the chosen zone, given that the PDP had zoned the chairperson position to the North Central and microzoned it to Benue State. Suswam insisted that the state and the zone would only be made whole for all of their various contributions to the PDP’s stability if he was given permission to carry on from where Ayu left off.

The former governor said, “We at the party level believe that the North Central should produce the next president as stipulated by the PDP constitution to complete its tenure.The North central should not be shortchanged going by the precedent that has already been set by the party.

“I believe that it is important to hear from me. It is just for me to let you know that I have consulted with people in the zone to complete Ayu’s tenure.

Given that the position was assigned to the North Central by the PDP, this is not a national contest and should be resolved by mutual understanding and consent. When inquired about his communication with Ayu, who was removed from office covertly by a court order, the former governor confirmed that he had indeed conferred with Ayu and that he was not present in court to contest the removal.

“Ayu is not in court and I’ve spoken with him extensively and he said he is no longer interested. He is not in court to challenge his ouster,” Suswam claimed.

The former governor refuted the idea that the PDP was divided into many camps, saying that all well-intentioned party members acknowledge that Atiku Abubakar, who won the party’s presidential nomination, is still the party’s leader.

“I don’t think there is camps in PDP and we have one PDP.

“I don’t think that G5 exists since they are no longer governors but ex-governors. It can now be referred to Ex G5,” the former governor said.

Suswam declared that he would use his extensive political background to help the PDP overcome its obstacles and restore its reputation as a formidable opposition force in Nigeria, helping to rescue the nation from the financial and economic disasters that the APC has caused.

“We need a party to offer a better alternative to what we are facing in Nigeria today,” Suswam said.

The highest body of the PDP will meet in Abuja this week Thursday to decide on the chairmanship position of the party.