Court restrains Ayu from parading himself as PDP Chairman

A high court in Benue state has granted an interim order restraining Dr Iyorchia Ayu from parading himself as the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

W.I. Kpochi, the presiding judge, gave the order on Monday while ruling on a motion ex parte marked MHC/633/2023 filed by Conrad Terhide Utaan.

“An order of interim injunction restraining the 1st defendant Senator Dr. lyorchia Ayu from parading himself as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) having lost membership of the party, pending the hearing and determination of Motion on Notice already filed,” the judge ruled.

“The application is supported by a fifteen (15) paragraph affidavit to which is annexed three exhibits as Exhibits A1, A2, and B which are the Applicant’s membership card of the 2nd defendant, receipts for payment of dues and a vote of no confidence passed on the 1st Defendant/Respondent by the Igyorov
Council Ward of the 2nd Defendant in Gboko Local Government, Benue State.

“Upon hearing Mr M. T Assoh of Learned Counsel ably move the application and upon a dispassionate consideration of the facts placed before me in the pool of the affidavit evidence, and again, upon the consideration of the issues distilled in the written address by M.T Assoh of Learned Counsel, it is
my candid view that this is a proper case to grant the interim injunction as craved.

“Consequently, this application is hereby granted in terms of the reliefs captured in the motion papers as herein before reproduced.

“It is so ordered.”

The case has been adjourned to April 17 for a hearing.

The Court ruling is coming just 24 hours after the Peoples Democratic Party executive members of Igyorov ward, Gboko LGA of Benue state, passed a vote of no confidence on Ayu over alleged anti-party activities.

The party executives also claimed that Ayu worked against the success of the PDP in his ward and did not vote in the March 18 governorship and the house of assembly elections.

AYU’S SUSPENSION WAS COMING, PDP MAY NEVER RECOVER – OKOLUGBO

The suspension of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party has been described as an event that has been coming and not a total surprise.

Ken Okolugbo, a former member of the Peoples Democratic Party and former Commissioner in Delta State disclosed this while speaking on the This Morning programme on TVC News on Monday Morning with Yori Folarin.

He said the suspended National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, has mismanaged the party so much that there may be no way back for it.

He added that the mismanagement of the party was responsible for people like him leaving the party.

He added that the suspended National Chairman has been probably the most controversial chairman the PDP has ever had with him having disputes with governors and almost all the stakeholders within the party.

He said his suspension is just the proverbial banana peel that has helped in bringing down most chairmen of the Peoples Democratic Party since 1999.

Going Further he disclosed that even the governors the suspended National Chairman is conflict with have largely come out of it stronger with some able to install their preferred successors while Seyi Makinde in Oyo State returned re-elected with a very impressive margin.

On whether the suspension is final, he said the process can be murky saying some may argue that the National Chairman cannot be suspended from his ward and must be referred to the National Working Committee which will then accept to investigate him and hand out the necessary punishment or not.

He however said the Ward Executive and the Ward as a art of the party is one of the most powerful if not the most powerful organ in its day to day operation.

He disclosed that the steps to be taken will be sending the suspension for ratification to the State Working Committee of the party which will now send it to the National Working Committee of the party which according to him is currently deeply divided.

He said nobody within the National Working Committee of the party can lay claim to not being involved in anti Party activities during the course of the 2023 General Elections.

He said this State of Affairs made it quite difficult for anybody among members of the party to be singled out for persecution over so called anti party activities when almost everyone was involved.

According to Mr Okolugbo, that is why some of the suspended leaders have rejected it and are spoiling for a fight over the issue.

He said the leadership of the party should not be looking for scapegoats at this time but should be working on ensuring unity so that the incoming government at State levels will have something to bring them together.

He urged the National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party to go back to the drawing board and work to prevent an implosion since the coming days will be seeing a gale of suspensions and counter suspensions.

He said the anti party activities that went on within the Peoples Democratic Party was unprecedented which will make it a very difficult proposition for anyone who wants to suspend anybody for such moves.

He added that the National Leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party should be blamed for the problem bedevilling the party with decisions taken against the party’s constitution, zoning and Other principles including the choice of candidates at all levels.

He said most people within the party will not have the courage to challenge the status quo within the party and then leave.

According to Mr Okolugbo, the PDP has never been as divided as it is today and may not be able to pick up the pieces with the way things are currently.