Iyorchia Ayu, the People’s Democratic Party’s national chairman, has stated that only the NEC has the authority to suspend a member of the National Executive Committee because the PDP constitution expressly forbids any organ of the party or executive committee at the ward, state, or national levels from taking any disciplinary action against them.
He disclosed this on Monday, March 27, through a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Simon Imobo-Tswam, a day after the announcement of his suspension by the Benue State chapter of the party.
Ayu added that the alleged suspension notice was nothing more than drama, misinformation, and mischief, and that it was a pointless exercise caused by blatant “ignorance and desperation.”
On Sunday, the party’s ward executives in Igyorov Ward of the Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State confirmed Ayu’s suspension due to suspected anti-party activities. The announcement was made by the ward secretary, Mr. Vangeryina Dooyum, on behalf of Kashi Philip, the ward chairman.
However, Ayu, in his statement said, “For starters, Article 57(7) of the PDP constitution as amended in 2017 expressly prohibits any organ of the party or executive committee of the party at the ward or state levels from taking any disciplinary measure against any member of the party’s National Executive Committee.
“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.”
He further pointed out that some members of the excos were only being “teleguided by political gamblers to cause mischief and nothing more,” adding that he had not been suspended by his ward.
Ayu advised the general public to ignore rumours, saying those behind the plot were only investing in expensive illusions.
His statement further read, “But more than this, the so-called suspension letter was written by an illiterate before hand, and only given to the coerced members to sign somewhere in Makurdi.
“This is why the original date is typexed and 24 March imposed on it. And this is also why it states that the presidential/NASS and governorship/state assembly elections held on 25th and 18th March, 2023 respectively.
“From what we know, the document itself is fraudulent as the signatures of the ward executives were forged or obtained under duress.”
