The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Dr Iyorchia Ayu has told the Executive Committee of his Ward that it lacks the power to suspend him.The Executive Committee of Ayu’s PDP Igyorov Ward in Gboko local government area of Benue State,  on Sunday, passed a resolution suspending him from office following a no confidence vote passed on him by the Ward executive.

The Ward leadership accused Ayu of anti- party activities that led to the loss of the PDP at the national and state levels in the just concluded general elections. 

The Ward leaders also accused the party chairmen of failure to pay his annual dues as required by the PDP constitution.

But in a reaction on Monday, Ayu said those who suspended him were illiterates and ignorant of provisions of the PDP constitution.In a statement on Monday signed on his behalf by his media aide, Simon Imobo-Tswam, the chairman said some of his Ward executive members were being tele-guided by those he described as political gamblers “to cause mischief and nothing more”.

He faulted the Ward resolution that suspended him, saying that it was drafted by “illiterates” and some members of the Ward executive were  coerced into signing it. 

Ayu said only the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) has the powers to suspend him.

According to him, some of the Exco members who refused to sign the resolution were being held hostage in an unnamed location in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

He added that the said resolution suspending him was as fraudulent and the people that signed it.

“The purported suspension is, therefore, an exercise in futility as it derives its strength majorly from gross illiteracy, ignorance, gambling and desperation. It has only mischief, drama and propaganda value”, Ayu declared.

The statement said: “We wish to state categorically and with all emphasis at our disposal thus:

“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 majorly from gross illiteracy, ignorance, gambling and desperation. It has only mischief, drama and propaganda value.

“But more than this, the so-called suspension letter was written by an illiterate before hand, and only given to the coerced members to sign somewhere in Makurdi.

“This is why the original date is tipexed and 24 March imposed on it. And this is also why it states that the presidential/NASS and Governorship/State Assembly elections held on 25th and 18th March, 2023 respectively.

“From what we know, the document itself is fraudulent as the signatures of the Ward Executives were forged or obtained under duress.

“The (Ward) chairman, his deputy and legal adviser didn’t sign. The 14th person on the list didn’t sign too. She was at NKST Ambighir for the Holy Communion. 

“In fact, the same applies for Nos. 5, 8 and 16. At the time they  were supposed to be in Makurdi with the other coerced, intimidated and induced members of the Exco, they were actually in their villages, going about their normal businesses”.

“Up till now, about nine members of the Ward Exco are still being held hostage in a location in Makurdi for obvious reasons. And expectedly, their mobile numbers have been switched off. It is instructive.

“The general public is hereby advised to ignore rumours to this heinous effect. Those behind the plot are only investing in expensive illusions”.