PDP crisis: Ayu fails to resume work after ‘vacation’

Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who were expecting the National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, to resume work on Wednesday were disappointed when he failed to show up.

The party chairman had been on break since the crisis over the emergence of Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as the vice-presidential candidate of the party broke out.

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Speculations were rife that the chairman had been forced to go on leave and might not even return if the “Ayu must go” agitators had their way.

But in a swift reaction, Simon Imobo-Tswam, Ayu’s Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy, said reports that Ayu had been suspended over allegations of misappropriation were not true. 

He also said reports that the Deputy National Chairman (North), Amb. Damagum, who had been appointed in his place in an acting capacity, were “mischievous as they are purely the work of mischief-makers and idle minds” and called on Nigerians to disregard them. 

Consequently, many party members were surprised that Damagum presided over the submission of the Osun Reconciliation committee led by Eyitayo Jegede SAN instead of Ayu, who was expected to resume from his vacation on Wednesday.

Daily Trust also reliably gathered that the national chairman was not seen at the party secretariat on Wednesday.