Iyorchia Ayu, new National Chairman of the PDP
PDP chairmanship: Ayu emerges North Central’s consensus candidate, as David Mark steps down
Former Senate President, Iyorchia Ayu, has emerged as the consensus candidate of North Central zone in the race for the national chairmanship office of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following the withdrawal of another ex-senate leader, David Mark from the race.
This is as reports emerged of the opposition to David Mark’s candidacy by party chieftains like immediate past Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and party’s flagbearer at the 2019 Presidential Elections, Atiku Abubakar, who both favoured Ayu.
Also, it is understood that Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, had pitched his tent in the camp of Ayu as against another Benue son, Mark, as he tried to broker truce between both candidates vying for the seat.
It would be recalled that National Executive Council (NEC) of the PDP had ratified a decision by the Zoning Committee of the party which had zoned the position to the North, a move which also received the endorsement of the PDP Governors’ Forum.
Ayu emerged after a marathon meeting of the leaders of the zone on Tuesday night at the Benue State Governor’s Lodge, Abuja, after Mark decided to step down.
The other aspirants that stepped down were former governor Ibrahim Idris, Prof Jerry Gana and Attah Idoko.
“We met here for several hours,” Ortom told reporters after Tuesday’s meeting.
“Amongst the five persons that were contesting, the leadership of our party from the North Central unanimously agreed to sponsor former Senate President Iyorchia Ayu, to be the national chairman of our party from the North Central.
“There was no voting, we all agreed that he is the right person for this job at this time,” Ortom said.
The meeting is now expected to present Ayu to the Northern Caucus of the PDP for acceptance.
