By Emmanuel OGBECHE
Less than 24hours after the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, ended its presidential primaries in Abuja which saw the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its flagbearer, the national chairman of the party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, has courted controversy.
In a viral video on Sunday, Ayu could be seen alongside former Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa state and other party chieftains visiting Governor Aminu Tambuwal in Abuja.
In the video, Ayu could be heard calling Tambuwal, “my chairman,” to which the governor said, “no, you are my national chairman.”
As both men warmly embraced each other, the PDP National Chairman could be heard calling Tambuwal, “you are the hero of democracy, of the moment. Thank you, thank you very much.”
The 33 seconds video comes to an end as they move into the inner recess of the room.
In April, Ayu, had vowed not to allow his personal relationship with Atiku to influence the party’s decision on its 2023 presidential ticket.
Ayu had given the promise while responding to remarks by the former vice president, when he visited the party’s national secretariat to interact with members of the PDP National Working Committee.
Ayu said, “Let me start by acknowledging that, you and I have been friends for over 30 years. As it was indicated, we were key players in the Social Democratic Party.
“We’ve been working politically together, you are a presidential aspirant today, I want people to know that you are still my friend. I can’t deny you, I never deny my friends including those who are at the other disastrous party.
“I’m saying this that those who say oh, because of my personal relationship with you, as chairman, I will work for you.
“Mr Vice President, I will not work for you as an aspirant, I will work for all the 17 aspirants.”
But with the emergence of the video after Tambuwal stepped down for Atiku leading to his defeating Governor Nyesom Wike and others on Saturday night, tongues have been wagging that Ayu was not an impartial arbiter all along.
Alfonsus Nanna wrote on Facebook; “It clearly means the powers that be in PDP were from scratch in favour of Atiku’s emergence. Tambuwal was handed a script and he delivered. You need to see the behind the scene victory dance with the chairman, Dino, the entire northern mafia. One can observe that the chairman who ought to be a neutral umpire wasn’t.”
Nwachukwu Ngige, a former staff of the PDP, also noted, “The post-convention backstage visuals depicting triumphal celebration of conspiracy and betrayal of Wike by the PDP hierarchy is an expression of deep hate for the Rivers governor.
“That the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, would be involved in such a wild celebration, hailing Tambuwal as “the hero of the convention” only unraveled the script by a leadership that ought to be neutral.
“Probably, the 2 million votes of Rivers people are unnecessary. Argument here is that Atiku did not defeat the APC candidate in February 2023 general elections, rather only emerged victorious over a formidable internal opponent that he needs for the general election.
“A discerning leadership would have first visited Wike in a handshake with one of the pillars of his party and not to Tambuwal or Atiku who were actors in praetorian conspiracy against Caligula (Wike.)
Since he lost the presidential primaries, Wike is yet to speak on the matter.
