No one can force Ayu to resign as DPP chairman, says Atiku

People's Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar said that neither he nor anyone can force Iyorchia Ayu to step down as president.

"If Dr. Ayu is to be removed from office, it must be done in accordance with the laws that define the basis for such removal," Atiku said in a statement.

"In any event, you will all remember that the very body empowered by law to initiate this dismissal, has already voted a vote of confidence in him."

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Atiku was reacting to the withdrawal of some party members, led by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, from his campaign team.

Their withdrawal was preceded by a long meeting from Tuesday evening to Wednesday morning in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State.

The group said it would not participate in Atiku's campaign activities unless Ayu resigns as PDP chairman.

Some of the attendees at the meeting include Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, who was appointed Vice Chairman (South) of the same committee; the former governor of Ondo, Olusegun Mimiko and his counterpart of Ekiti, Ayo Fayose, among others.

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The trio were also part of the meeting where the decision to step down from the campaign was made in Port Harcourt.

Atiku said he was shocked by the news of the withdrawal of Wike and his allies, urging aggrieved PDP members to rethink their position.

"People who have spoken to the press must have their reasons for stepping down from the Presidential Campaign Council, and I will not speculate what those reasons may be," Atiku said.

“Personally, I am quite surprised by this withdrawal because, as I have been informed by our party officials, with the exception of the Rivers State chapter of the PDP, all the other states of the federation submitted the names of the people they wanted included in the Presidential Campaign Council.

"On the calls for the resignation or removal of our National President, however, I must reiterate what I have said 'many' in public and private; the decision for Dr Iyorchia Ayu to resign from his duties is personal to Dr. Ayu and neither I nor anyone else can make this decision for him.

“With regard to the calls for the removal of Dr Ayu from office, however, I will state that as a committed democrat and staunch supporter of the rule of law and democratic principles, and that our party is a party created, organized and regulated by law and our constitution, I absolutely believe that everything we do in our party must be done in accordance with and in accordance with the law and our constitution.”