PDP Chairmanship: Dr Ayu Emerges North’s Consensus Candidate

BY EVELYN DADU, ABUJA – A former President of the Senate, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, on Wednesday emerged as the North’s consensus candidate for the position of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The choice of Dr Ayu, who hails from Benue State and a former minister in the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, brought to an end days of anxiety, lobbying and horse trading on the political arrangement within the party.

Ayu’s choice through consensus is expected to be ratified the PDP National chairman at the Party’s national convention scheduled to take place on October 30 and 31, 2021.

The Northern consensus candidate of the PDP was presented to the leaders of the party by the North Central zone, following his unanimous adoption on Tuesday at the Benue State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, as the North-central zone sole candidate.

Similarly, PDP leaders from the 19 states of Northern Nigeria had gathered at Bauchi Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro-Abuja and ratified the adoption of Ayu as the Northern’s consensus candidate.

Briefing journalists shortly after the meeting of the party leaders from the North, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State, said that the choice of Ayu was for the unity, oneness and general interest of the country.

Fintiri said that the Northern PDP leaders will be presently Dr Ayu before their Southern counterparts for adoption and ratification.

Speaking shortly after being presented, Dr Ayu said that he would work assiduously with other stakeholders of the party to deliver Nigeria from the hands of the APC that has brought the country on its knees, adding that the value of the Naira is now far lower than the Somalia currency.

Ayu assured that he run an all-inclusive and purposeful party thus, called on the party leaders to join him to reposition the PDP with a view to ensuring that it bounces back stronger and take over the Presidential Villa in 2023.

The former Senate President said that under his leadership, no one would be able to use money to buy his conscience just as no single individual would own the PDP, stressing that; “PDP belongs to all, not one man.”

The PDP had in September, zoned the position of the National chairman of the party to the North and furthered micro-zoned it to the North Central.