Ayu’s suspension illegal – PDP PCC

The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Council (PDP PCC)  has described the suspension of the party’s National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu as illegal and not in conformity with the party’s constitution.

The spokesman of the council, Mr Charles Aniagwu, who spoke on AIT on Tuesday, said those that suspended the National Chairman in Benue State were ignorant of the provisions of the party’s constitution as amended in 2017.

Charles noted that the suspension was like the treatment meted out to the former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole when he was the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

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While noting that the APC constitution was different from that of the PDP, he added that no organ of the party aside from the National Executive Committee can suspend a member of the National Working Committee.

“Section 57(7) of the PDP Constitution was very clear on who has the power to suspend or discipline a member of the National Working Committee or National Executive Committee of the party.

“When they proceeded to ask the ward of the national chairman to take disciplinary action against him, assuming that they have the power, they ought to have given him fair hearing by summoning him to give him the opportunity to defend himself but the Section 57 didn’t give them the power to carry out such action against a member of NWC.

“So if anyone is proceeding to court with such illegal suspension is just making unnecessary troubles for the party,” he said.

Charles said the exparte order from the court restraining Ayu from carrying out his duties as national chairman was most unfortunate, claiming that the basis for granting the order was faulty.

He however expressed optimism that the party would come out stronger after its current travails.