Ayu dismisses reports of resignation as PDP chairman

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu, on Monday dismissed reports of his resignation from the party.

Reports emerged on Monday that Ayu had handed over his resignation letter to the former Senate President, David Mark.

A group of politicians backing the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, for selection as PDP vice –presidential candidate had demanded the resignation of the former Senate president as party chairman over his alleged role in the post-presidential primary crisis rocking the party.

Ayu, who had made the clarification in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Simon Imobo-Tswam, described the reports as false and baseless.

The chairman insisted that he was elected for a four-year tenure, and urged Nigerians to disregard the reports.

The statement read: “The attention of the PDP National Chairman has been drawn to sponsored stories in the news media today, including THISDAY Newspaper and an electronic channel, TVC.

“The stories purport that the PDP National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, has resigned. They further add that his purported resignation letter is with ex-Senate President David Mark.

READ ALSO: PDP crisis: Bode George demands Ayu’s resignation, rules out Wike’s defection to APC

“Our reaction: We state, with all emphasis, that this story is, in its entirety, false, baseless, reckless, inaccurate, and a complete work of fiction. If there is such a resignation, it exists only in the imagination of those who have made themselves available for hatchet jobs.

“If Dr. Ayu had resigned, he would give his resignation letter to the Deputy Chairman (North), not Senator Mark.

“Section 45 (i and ii) of the party’s constitution is clear on this.

“So, where does Distinguished Senator David Mark come in here, being that he is not even a member of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC)?

“It appears that those who have been procured to blackmail the national chairman out of office are not even aware of what the party’s constitution says about the matter.

“We are shocked that such reckless, vicious, mischievous and fabricated falsehood can find prime space in the mainstream media.

“But even more shocking is the fact that otherwise, respected media houses have made themselves easy platforms for unscrupulous people to peddle falsehood and run smear campaigns, once the fee is right.

“But the fact remains that those who have been procured to write falsehood against the national chairman and those sponsoring same are investing in expensive illusions.”

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