The 23 elected Chairmen of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) representing 23 Local Government Areas of Benue State on Wednesday endorsed Engr. Terhide Utaan to replace former National Chairman of the party, Dr Iyorchia Ayu as the party’s National Chairman.
The Chairmen said they took the decision to add force to the agitations from Benue State and from the North Central region for the replacement of Dr Ayu as National Chairman.
Addressing a news conference in Makurdi, the leader of the Chairmen, Hon. Terseer Godwin Adigoh who is PDP Chairman in Katsina-Ala LGA, said they were convinced that for PDP to re-discover its true identity and take back its pride of place as the most viable political party in the country and Benue State in particular, they must be alive to their responsibilities and duty.
“It is in fulfillment of the oath we took that we have come together today to address the issue of the replacement of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as the National Chairman of our great party, PDP.
“As provided in Section 47(6) of the PDP Constitution 2017 (as amended) the replacement for Dr Iyorchia Ayu must come from Benue State, to reinforce our great party’s commitment to equity, justice, and fairness as the core principles upon which the party stands.
“Now, it is our firm conviction that since equity, fairness and justice cannot be fulfilled halfway, even in Benue State, the replacement of Dr Ayu must come from the Senatorial District he hails from, which is the Benue North-West (Zone ‘B’).
“It was the wisdom of the leadership of the party at all levels that since Chief Barnabas Gemade and Chief Audu Ogbe had both previously served in the office of National Chairman of the PDP from Zones ‘A’ and ‘C’ of Benue State respectively, Dr. Ayu was given the nod to serve as National Chairman from Zone ‘B’.
“It is, therefore, our considered opinion that in continuation of, and fulfillment of the decision for equity, fairness and justice, a candidate from Zone ‘B’ of Benue State be the one to replace Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as National Chairman.
“And having considered the fact that there is only one aspirant from the Benue Zone ‘B’ Senatorial District in the race to replace Dr Ayu, we take the stand that the candidate be accorded the privilege of being the sole nominee of the PDP from Benue State to replace Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as National Chairman”.
“Therefore, in fulfillment of our civic duty as Chairmen of the PDP in the 23 Local Government Areas of Benue State, we individually and collectively openly and publicly today, Wednesday, 9th October, 2024, endorse that sole candidate from Benue Zone ‘B’ in the person of Engr. Conrad Terhide Utaan as the sole nominee of the PDP in Benue State to replace Dr Iyorchia Ayu as National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)”.
Hon. Adigo vowed to communicate their decision to the State Executive Committee (SEC) of the party in the state for onward action and transmission to the Zonal Executive Committee (ZEC) of the party for North-Central, which in tum would do same to the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party at the national secretariat in Abuja.