Dr Julius Babogha, one of the foremost Niger Delta leaders on Monday asked the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Iyorchia Ayu to vacate his office for a Southerner.
Babogha, who made this statement while speaking to newsmen in Warri, Delta state, said the North cannot produce Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the party from the North at the same time retaining the National Chairman of the party.
He, therefore, urged the National Working Committee, NWC, and other organs of the party to prevail on Senator Ayu to honourably resign his position to pave the way for a new national chairman of the party from Southern Nigeria in keeping with the regulations of the party.
The Niger Delta leader said, “For fairness, equity and justice, there is no gain saying the fact that since Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the party is from the North, the National Chairman of the party has to move to the Southern part of the country to balance the equation.
“We are making a passionate appeal to the party to look deep into the issue and ensure it is addressed for the purpose of oneness instead of giving room for an opposition to capitalize on our weakness to undo us.
“It was alleged that Dr Iyorchia Ayu, the National Chairman of the party had in the past made a pledge to all the organs of the party that once a presidential candidate emerged from the North, he will step down for a new chairman to be elected from the South.
“Ayu told the BoT, the National Executive Committee (NEC) and the National Working Committee (NWC) that he will quit office if a Northerner is elected and we are expecting Ayu to listen to his voice and pledge that he made on this issue. We are strongly advising him to relinquish the national chairmanship position of the party. Anything short of this is a misnomer.”
