The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) said it will meet with Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Nyesom Wike, the Rivers state governor to present a working road map for the final resolution of the crisis rocking the party.
Ikenga Ugochinyere, the spokesperson of CUPP, who disclosed this in a statement on Friday, insisted that the resolution of the crisis should start with the removal of Iyorchia Ayu as PDP National Chairman and Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary.
Ugochinyere said Ayu and Anyanwu must be made to vacate office unconditionally or be removed by the party, to help restore the integrity of the PDP, unite the party, show its zero tolerance to corruption and readiness of the main opposition to make any sacrifice no matter how challenging for the benefit of the country. He said PDP candidates of in the south are facing marginalisation accusation and integrity issues over the continued stay of Ayu in office.
The PDP candidate for Ideato North and South Federal Constituency for 2023 polls said for the party to win presidential election next year, the National Chairman has to resign.
Ugochinyere said for the PDP to project transparency as it had always done, the North could not hold about three key positions in the party, stressing that “PDP is not a Northern Peoples Democratic Party nor Southern Peoples Democratic Party, we have to be just and united, to enable us to win at various levels in the coming 2023 general election.”
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The CUPP spokesperson further insisted that, “Ayu must go, to fulfill the promise he made that he would resign immediately after the parties primary elections if a Northerner emerged the party’s flag bearer.”
He called on the PDP Board of Trustees, National Working Committee and the Caucus to be just and fair in order to get the party to victory in the forthcoming elections.
Ugochinyere said: “The corruption and bribery allegations against Ayu have presented a huge credibility problem for PDP; the removal of Ayu will offer a new confidence in rebuilding the party.
“I have times without number appealed to Ayu and Anyanwu not to drag the image of the party to the mud and cried at the briefing that PDP is facing a marketing challenge with Ayu still in office.”
There were reports of alleged illegal payments of housing allowance to PDP NWC members on the directives of Ayu who is the party’s National Chairman.
But Ayu in a reaction to the allegations said, he has many faults but stealing was not part of it, hence such allegations were untrue.
The PDP National Chairman had said he instructed the Finance Department to maintain an update of the income and expenditure account for presentation to the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) at the first-year anniversary of the present NWC in December.
“I have many faults, but stealing is not one of them. I am conscious of my place in history, and the NWC that I lead is guided by the twin-principles of transparency and accountability. You may be reading many things and expecting my reaction.
“If we don’t always talk, it is because we want to maintain and build cohesion in the party. We don’t want continuous altercations in the PDP family. Our eyes are on the big picture, that is winning the 2023 general elections,” Ayu had said.
