Cracks in Wike’s Camp as Benue Governor Refuses to Back Ayu’s Removal

The wall of the camp of the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesome Wike in the Peoples Democratic Party may be cracking as the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has dissociated himself from the call for the removal of the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu.
Wike’s camp, which also include the governor of Oyo, Seyi Makinde, had insisted on the resignation of Ayu as a condition for peace to reign in the party.
But on Monday, Ortom said he cannot be part of any plot to remove the chairman who he contributed to electing into office.
Ortom, via a statement by his media aide, Nathaniel Ikyur, said “The governor could not, therefore, turn around to work against him to be removed from office.”
It described as mischievous “allegations by an amorphous, little known group parading itself as Jemgbagh Development Association, Abuja chapter, that the Benue governor has a hand in Ayu’s current travails”.
The statement said accused a group, Jemgbagh Development Association of making insinuations to create more crisis.
He statement went further, “Governor Ortom vouched for the integrity and capacity of Dr Iyorchia Ayu to lead and rebuild the PDP to victory and rescue Nigeria from the misrule of the APC maladministration. That is why Ayu was returned unopposed by the northern caucus of the party and got elected as the national chairman of the PDP at the party’s convention.
“Where was Jemgbagh Development Association, when Governor Ortom galvanised support from across the leaders of the party to make Dr. Ayu PDP’s National Chairman? What was their contribution to that project that they now want to use clannish stance to blackmail the governor?”
“This amorphous and emergency Jemgbagh Development Association, Abuja, which has never been heard of before, is now masquerading as the voice of Jemgbagh to embark on campaign of calumny against Governor Ortom, who has worked selflessly for the people of Benue State.
“Governor Ortom is more Jemgbagh than most of the people claiming it now. This is fact, because he has done more for Jemgbagh, both in terms of appointments and projects executed as well as patronage in the area, than even one of the Jemgbagh sons, who was governor. Besides, Governor Ortom has consistently worked for the unity of Benue State and will never stand in the way of any of her citizens, either here in the state or in the diaspora
“For those, who claimed to be leaders of this Jemgbagh Development Association, Abuja, we urge them to be truly developmental in their drive to build cohesion among the people and attract real development to their area rather than engaging in mischief or blackmail.”