Iyorchia Ayu, the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), claims that all of the people clamouring for his resignation are young people who were not alive when the party was founded.
Ayu's resignation has been listed as one among the requirements by the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, to end the opposition party's post-presidential primary conflict.
In the party's presidential primary, Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president, defeated Wike. To the dismay of the governor of Rivers and his supporters, Atiku chose Delta Governor Ifeanyi Okowa despite being requested to consider Wike as a running mate.
Wike’s supporters have argued that it is unfair for the party’s chairman and its presidential flagbearer to hail from the same region.
But speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa Service, Ayu said those calling for his resignation were nowhere to be found when they struggled to form the party.
Ayu added that he was not bothered by the call for his resignation.
“I was voted as PDP Chairman for a four-year tenure and I’m yet to complete a year. Atiku’s victory doesn’t affect the Chairman’s position. I won my election based on our party’s constitution.”
“I didn’t commit any offense I’m only reforming the party so I’m not bothered with all the noises. I know I’m doing my work and I didn’t steal any money so I see no reason for all these talks. When we started PDP, these children were not around. They are children who do not know why we formed the party. We will not allow any individual to destabilize our party,” he said.