Following unrelenting calls for the resignation of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Iyiorcha Ayu, by stakeholders of the party, its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has said that the national chairman’s resignation is negotiably possible.
Atiku said he had no problem with the call as long as it came in accordance with the party’s constitution.
At the party’s South-West stakeholders meeting with Atiku in Ibadan, Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State demanded that Ayu must resign if the party must move forward.
Makinde said: “The truth is that we do not have any issue either with our party or our candidate. If there are challenges they must be tabled.
“We are supposed to give hope to our people, we want them to listen to us.
Our party wants to rescue Nigeria and our candidate is a unifier. He wants to restructure Nigeria
“Eight years of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have left us sharply divided. The issue is we must practice what we preach. If we want to unify Nigeria, we must unify the PDP first.
“If we want to restructure Nigeria, we must have the willingness to bring inclusivity to the PDP. Do we have the capacity? The answer is a resounding yes.
“The message from the South-West PDP is, the South-West is asking that the National Working Committee of the PDP should be restructured.
“We are asking the National Chairman to step down so that the South will be fully included. That is the message.”
Responding to the call, Atiku said, “I have no problem about anywhere any party member comes from but it must be done in accordance with the party’s constitution or regulations and practices.
“What governor Seyi Makinde is calling for is achievable under the party’s constitution under the party rules and regulations and procedures.
“This constitution must guide whatever changes we make, so that is why we cannot do anything outside that constitution unless it is amended.
“We do not say people should not have different view points but all views must go through the party’s constitution, rules regulations and our practices”.
Ayu’s fate is being decided as the party’s chairman is out of the country for Europe for an undisclosed purpose.
