Wike speaks on Ayu’s dissolution of Ekiti State PDP Exco

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has vowed to challenge the dissolution of the Ekiti State Exco of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.

Mr Wike stated this on Saturday at the rally of the State PDP in Bori, Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Flanked by Siminialayi Fubara, the State PDP governorship candidate in a video posted on Twitter, Mr Wike warned Mr Ayu that suspending people from the party will do him no help and dared the party national chairman to suspend him or any of his friends, apparently referring to members of his G5 group.

“The battle line has been fully drawn. As I speak to you we will do everything legally possible to challenge any decision we know is illegal.

“So, don’t think you can threaten people saying so, so person have been suspended. Rubbish! Completely rubbish,” Governor Wike said.

Debo Ologunagba, spokesperson of the PDP, in a statement issued on Friday, announced the dissolution of the Ekiti State executive of the party.

Mr Olugungba also announced that the National Working Committee of the party had constituted a caretaker committee to run the affairs of the party in the state.

Mr Wike, who said Mr Ayu’s action was meant to intimidate party members, said they were going to challenge it because they believe in the rule of law and that the party should obey the constitution.

“So, we are waiting for you to announce my own and any other of my friends. Like I have said, when a man says you will not sleep, he too, will he sleep? Will Ayu sleep? Will those of his cohorts sleep? So don’t worry, we have the capacity to pay back. We have the capacity to tell you enough is enough,” Mr Wike said.

Backstory

Governor Wike, a member of, PDP fell out with the party leadership after the presidential primary which he lost to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

The governor also fell out with Atiku, the party presidential candidate, for reneging on the alleged promise to ensure the exit of the National Chairman of the party, Mr Ayu, to pave way for a southern to emerge as the national chair of the party.

Mr Wike now leads G5, a group of PDP governors including Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Seyi Makinde (Oyo) that are demanding the replacement of Mr Ayu with a southerner to achieve “regional balance” since Messrs Atiku and Ayu are both northerners.

The G5 governors, who were appointed to the Atiku campaign council, withdrew their membership and boycotted its inauguration.

The G5 in November, in Abia State, declared to support a southern presidential candidate for the 2023 election, a decision they said was in line with the agreement reached in the southern governors’ forum that Nigeria’s presidency should come to the south in 2023.