National chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Iyorchia Ayu on Tuesday finally stepped down from the position after weeks and months of refusing to give in.
Ayu resigning had been the condition given by five governors of the party who had refused to support the presidential bid of its candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
The party had gone into the 2023 elections with a divided house and was unable to clinch the presidential seat, even as it lost some states’ governorship seats where it had hitherto held sway.
According to Vanguard, Ayu was replaced by the Deputy National Chairman, (North) Umar Iliya Damagum.
Damagum will assume office as the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, pending the determination of the case in court.
The PDP in a statement wrote: “In-line with the recent Court Order from the Benue State High Court, restraining the National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, from parading himself as Chairman of the party, the Deputy National Chairman, North, Amb Iliya Umar Damagum has assumed office as the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, pending the determination of the case in court.”
Recall that the executive of Ayu’s Igyorov Ward in the Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State suspended the PDP chairman for alleged anti-party activities.
24 hours later, a High Court sitting in Makurdi presided over by Justice Wilfred Kpochin issued an interim order restraining Ayu from parading himself as the PDP chairman.
The order of the court was issued on Monday following an ex-parte application brought before the court by a PDP member, Conrad Utaan.
