The Coalition of United Political Parties on Friday faulted the reported move by the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Iyorchia Ayu, to sanction the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.
The opposition parties said the party’s National Working Committee, as presently constituted, has no moral right to query or sanction Wike without the chairman stepping down.
The Spokesperson of CUPP, Ikenga Ugochinyere, who said these in a statement was reacting to an interview granted by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Olugunagba, where he stated that the PDP would look into Wike’s recent activities and appropriately decide on what to do.
Ologunagba was responding to questions on the governor’s public endorsement of Governor Babajide Sanwu-Olu of Lagos State, considering the fact that the PDP also has a governorship candidate in the state.
Ugochinyere described the threat to discipline Wike as provocative, adding that the plan is capable of factionalising the party more.
The statement reads, “The truth must be told that the Ayu-led PDP NWC lacks the moral right to query Governor Wike.
“I am warning that the threat to discipline Wike is capable of creating more factions in the PDP and therefore spell doom for the party in the forthcoming elections at all levels because the move is provocative.
“My call therefore is that Ayu should drop this unpopular idea. Not only that, the chairman must step down based on the various allegations that have been levelled against him.
“No serious political party will go into a general elections with a national chairman with allegations of graft around his neck.
“In case he does not know, Ayu-led PDP’s threat to suspend Wike is like a case of a squatter attempting to evict the landlord. In this case, Ayu is the squatter while Wike is the landord.
“If indeed he loves the party and wants it to win the forthcoming elections, Ayu should not remain as the party’s national chairman for an additional one day. The time for him to step down and allow peace reign is now.”
