I Won't Quit, Ayu Speaks As PDP Crisis Gets More Complicated

• 'Those who ask for my resignation are children'• Court adjourns Wike's trial against Atiku, PDP until September 14 • Obi did not reach agreement with Atiku, says Okupe • Omokri and Adeyanju criticize Tinubu for his visit to Jonathan• Visit of Tinubu shows no ideological difference on politics, says Farounbi

The war of words between the two forces in the opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) was renewed yesterday, as PDP National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu, the man at the center of the controversy between the party's presidential flag bearer, Atiku Abubakar and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, described those calling for his resignation as "children".

Ayu has been under pressure lately, with calls for his resignation coming from various quarters amid the party's internal crisis. The camp loyal to Wike had demanded that Ayu resign as a precondition for resolving the rift with Atiku and for re-tilting the balance of power in the party in favor of the North.

But speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa yesterday, Ayu said he was not bothered by calls for his resignation. He said, “I was elected as the PDP President for a four-year term and I have yet to complete a year. Atiku's emergence as a standard bearer or victory in 2023 does not affect the position of the President, even if the candidate is from Benue State, I ran for election and was elected on the basis of our party constitution.

"I haven't committed any offence. I'm just reforming the party, so I'm not bothered by all the noise. I know I'm doing my job and didn't steal money, so I see no reason for all these discussions.

"When we started the PDP journey, we did not see these children. They are children who do not know why we created this party. We will not allow a single person to come and destroy our party. "

When asked in specific terms to comment on the terms of Wike's camp's call for his resignation among other things, he said: "Everything he does doesn't affect me because I know that i fix the party i do my job diligently we will not allow a single person to become a spoiler this is our party so all that is expected of us is to fix the country , to provide security and democratic dividends when we take power in 2023.”

Meanwhile, Federal High Court Judge A.R. Mohammed, sitting in Abuja yesterday, adjourned a trial, which sought the court's declaration declaring Wike as the PDP's presidential candidate for the 2023 poll. adjourned the prosecution after a motion for an extension of time was granted to the respondents' attorney, Priscilla Eje.

Plaintiffs' counsel, Wilfred Okoi, who acknowledged receipt of the counterclaims to his originating summons and to the Respondents' motion for notice of extension of time, did not, however, oppose the request for extension of time. The court therefore adjourned the case to September 14 for a hearing.

Although it was categorically denied, Wike had filed a lawsuit challenging the result of the party's presidential primary. According to court documents, Wike sued the PDP, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Atiku and Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State as defendants.

In the lawsuit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/782/2022, Wike and a PDP leader, Newgent Ekamon, were named as plaintiffs. Wike came second to Atiku in the primary held in May. Tambuwal, also a presidential candidate, resigned for Atiku at the last minute. Of the 767 accredited ballots in the election, Atiku garnered 371 votes, while his closest challenger, Wike, came in second with 237 votes.

A former presidential aide, Doyin Okupe, yesterday denied reports that Labor Party presidential candidate Peter Obi had reached an agreement with Atiku Abubakar over the 2023 election. Obi was Atiku's running mate for the PDP in the 2019 presidential election.

Okupe, who noted that the former governor of Anambra State enjoys overwhelming support from Nigerians, especially young people, said in a statement that Obi could not negotiate with others less popular candidates or their parties.

"Members of the public are advised to ignore this cheap, self-interested and entertaining propaganda, which we believe does not come from the Atiku camp."The Obi-dient movement train is gathering more and more voters on an hourly basis, when it is evident that the political fortunes and number of supporters of other parties are dwindling and receding like a dry lake in the scorching heat of an arid desert."

For the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), an alleged talk between presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and 22 of his rivals at the party's national convention did not take place yesterday in Abuja.

The parliament convened by one of the presidential candidates, Dr Nicolas Félix, aimed to adopt campaign strategies to ensure Tinubu's victory in the 2023 ballot.

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