Key highlights
- A High Court in Makurdi, Benue State, has restrained the National Chairman of the PDP, Iyorchia Ayu from parading himself as chairman of the party pending the determination of the substantive suit.
- This is coming barely 24 hours after the ward executive of the party in Benue State announced the immediate suspension of Ayu for anti-party activities.
- The case has been adjourned until April 17 for further hearing.
A High Court in Makurdi, Benue State, has restrained the embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu from parading himself as chairman of the party pending the determination of the substantive suit which has been adjourned to April 17, 2023, for hearing.
This is coming barely 24 hours after the ward executive of the party in Benue State announced the immediate suspension of Ayu for anti-party activities.
The presiding judge, Justice W.I. Kpochi, gave the interim order restraining him from parading himself as the party’s National Chairman on Monday in suit No. MHC/85/2023 was filed at the court by a member of the PDP from Benue State, Terhide Utaan with Ayu and the PDP as defendants.
Addressing journalists in Makurdi after obtaining the court order, the plaintiff said following the suspension of Ayu by his Igyorov Ward Exco on Sunday, it is wrong for him to keep up with the office of the national chairman and further disunite the party.
For catch up
- The crisis rocking the PDP in Benue State worsened on Sunday, March 26, 2023, as the ward executive of the party slammed suspension on the party’s National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu.
- Ayu’s suspension is coming barely a few days after the party’s National Working Committee had dragged the State Governor, Samuel Ortom, to its disciplinary committee on alleged anti-party activities.
- The Ward Executive of the party at Igyorov Ward of Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State suspended the national chairman on Sunday for working against the success of the party, and failure to pay his annual subscription, among others.
- However, Ayu waved off his suspension by his ward in Benue State, saying that only the ward lacks the power to suspend him.
- Ayu’s media aide, Simon Imobo-Tswam, said, “The PDP National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, has not been suspended by his Ward. Some members of the Exco are only being teleguided by political gamblers to cause mischief and nothing more.
- “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 Level 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 from gross illiteracy, ignorance, gambling, and desperation. It has only mischief, drama, and propaganda value.”