PDP Crisis: Ortom, Fayose react to suspension from the party

Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose has reacted to his suspension by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Fayose who has been at loggerheads with the hierarchy of the party said “Ayu and his cohorts are only entertaining themselves with the purported suspension as their latest comedy skit.”

He said in a statement via his spokesperson, Lere Olayinka Ayu's tenure as National Chairman of the party will soon become history and the party will enjoy a new lease of life.

The former governor said that he and others, who stood by the party when Ayu and his cohorts left it to die, will rescue it and give life back to it in due course. The purported suspension will have no leg to stand on.”

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom who was asked to meet the disciplinary committee of the party said the party leadership lacks the power to discipline or suspend him

In his reaction through his chief press secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur said there is a subsisting court judgment barring the party from suspending or bringing the governor before any disciplinary committee.

Ortom had obtained an interim order from the State High Court in Makurdi to restrain the PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from suspending or disqualifying him from contesting the forthcoming 2023 senatorial election in Benue State, Leadership reports.

Ortom said it is contemptuous of the leadership of the PDP to disregard the court order which barred the party or any organ of the party from issuing any disciplinary measure against him.

According to the governor, “The case is pending in court and there is an order of injunction restraining any organ of the party from carrying out any disciplinary action against the governor. This case is adjourned to 18th April, 2023 and so it is baffling to see such a statement coming from the national leadership of the party.

“I think the national leadership of our great party is losing its sense of direction. Instead of the leadership to sit back and think of ways on how to rebuild the party from the ruins of the defeat from the just concluded elections, they are going about chasing imaginary shadows.

“In any case, the first person the party should refer to the disciplinary committee should be the national chairman of the party, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu. The national chairman lost his polling unit, lost his ward, local government, and even the state.

“As if that is not enough, there are strong indications that the national chairman was involved in anti-party activities in Benue State by working for the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, just to get at me because of my principled stand against certain aspects of the decisions of the national leadership of the party.”

The governor said the party should not be allowed to be ridiculed by some individuals who are bent on destroying the party for their selfish gains.

The national leadership of the PDP had earlier announced the suspension of former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose; former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim and former governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shema, for anti-party activities.

NBA