Wike wins as Court finally sacks suspended PDP chairman Iyorchia Ayu as party member

The Benue state high court sitting in Makurdi has sacked Iyorchia Ayu as the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Judge Maurice Ikpambese, on Friday, June 2, nullified Ayu's membership in the party, extinguishing his hope of reclaiming his position as the party's chair, Premium Times reported.

Prior to the court's ruling, W. I Kpochi of the same Benue state high court had issued a restraining order against Ayu, preventing him from representing himself as the national chairman of the PDP.

This order was granted following an ex-parte request by a party member in Benue, Terhide Utaan. Additionally, Ayu had been suspended by the executive committee of the PDP at his Gyrorov Ward in Benue.

In the substantive suit, Judge Ikpambese dismissed Ayu's preliminary objections and delivered the judgement.

He referred to Article 8(9) of the PDP's constitution, stating that Ayu ceased to be a member of the party due to his failure to pay the party's membership fees.

The judge ruled in favour of the plaintiff, stating that all questions for determination had been resolved in the plaintiff's favour, and granted all the reliefs sought.

Judge Ikpambese referred to Article 46(1) of the PDP constitution and dismissed Ayu's contention that the ward executive committee of the party cannot discipline a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC).

He held that the ward executive committee has the authority to discipline a member of the NEC. The judge also noted that Ayu had failed to prove that he had paid his membership subscription fee.

In the suit, the plaintiff's lawyer, Emmanuel Ukala, a SAN, urged the court to declare that Ayu was unfit to be the national chairman of the PDP.

Ukala argued against Ayu's preliminary objections and requested the court to disregard them and grant the reliefs sought by the plaintiff.

The suit was based on the grounds that Ayu had lost his membership in the party's Igyorov Council Ward of Gboko in Benue state, Nigerian Tribune also stated. Ukala urged the court to declare that Ayu cannot preside over the party's affairs and to prevent him from representing himself as the national chairman of the PDP.

On the other hand, Ayu's lawyer, J.J Usman, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), filed preliminary objections, arguing that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear and determine the case and that the plaintiff lacked the right to institute the lawsuit.

The emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the PDP's presidential candidate led to a significant rift in the party's leadership. Five dissident governors of the party (G5 Governors), including Samuel Ortom, Nyesom Wike, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Okezie Ikpeazu, and Seyi Makinde, demanded that Ayu step down as the party's chairman.

They accused the northern region of Nigeria, from which both Atiku and Ayu hail, of dominating the PDP's leadership. Ayu, however, refused to comply with their demand.

Ayu's predicament intensified when members of the PDP in his hometown suspended him from the party in March, shortly after Atiku lost the presidential election.

Ultimately, the high court's judgement confirmed Ayu's removal as the national chairman of the PDP.