‘I Said You Would Go’: Wike Celebrates Ayu’s Replacement

The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has expressed satisfaction over the ouster of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu.

Umar Damagum was announced on Tuesday as Ayu’s replacement in an acting capacity.

This comes barely two days after the Executive Committee of the PDP in Igyorov Ward, Gboko Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State suspended the former chairman with immediate effect.

Ayu had been embroiled in a bitter feud with some high-ranking PDP members led by five governors identified as the G5: Wike, Samuel Ortom (Benue), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).

With the emergence of PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the party’s May 2022 primary, the G5 refused to join the campaign unless Ayu resigned. The face-off culminated in the party’s defeat at the February 25 presidential election.

Moments after Ayu’s removal was made public, Wike celebrated the defeat at the commissioning of the Trans-Kalabari Road Phase 1, Degema Local Government Area (LGA), Rivers State.

“You see how God works? All those people who were plotting evil against us, they are now the ones suffering it,” he said.

The governor also warned those excited about the emergence of a new governor in Rivers that he is still in charge until May 29.

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“So, if you do anything, I’ll pepper you,” he added. “You see how I peppered them now? Are they not the ones suffering it now? Ayu said nobody can suspend him, but today he has packed up from the office,” Wike said.

“We have an acting chairman now. I told him, ‘You will go. Whether you like it or not, you will go.’ Those lawyers telling you that the ward has no power to suspend you, that it’s only NEC, then you don’t understand.

“When you came, it was the ward that suspended Secondus and you went and took office. It is now that you know that it’s only NEC. Let me tell you, since they’ve not told you, the courts have struck off that section out of our constitution to say ‘NEC only.’”