Court Restricts Ayu From Acting As PDP Chairman As Ward Level Kicks

A Benue State High Court has restrained Iyorchia Ayu from parading himself as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against the leadership in his ward.

The interim injunction was issued on Monday by the Makurdi High Court.

However, the executive committee members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Igyorov Ward of Gboko local government area, Benue State, where Ayu hails from, have distanced themselves from the purported suspension of the from the purported suspension.

The leadership of the party said did not endorse Ayu’s suspension and have no part in it.

According to a letter signed by the deputy chairman of PDP, Igyorov Ward, Ortese Helen, the organising secretary, Atema Iorde, and 14 others in a disclaimer to the Gboko Local Government’s chairman made available to AllNews Nigeria on Monday in Abuja, the suspension was made without due process and proper consultation with all relevant stakeholders in the party.

The letter reads in parts: “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 PDP Executive Committee of Igyorov Council Ward has signed signed on his or her behalf.

"The names of the Executive Committee Members are wrongly written and spelled which show the desperation of the mischief makers.”

It said the content of the purported letter itself was contradictory on the holding of the presidential and National Assembly Elections on the March 25, 2023 while the letter itself is dated 24th March, 2023.

It further said the letter was written before the purported commission of the offence which showed clearly that it was the handwork of the mischief makers.

The party said it had passed a vote of confidence on Ayu and is wholly supporting the Ayu’s pragmatic leadership style .

“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,” it further declared.