Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has claimed that Iyorchia Ayu, the embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, worked for the emergence of Bola Tinubu as the president-elect.
Umahi made the claim on Monday during the commissioning of remodelled community secondary school, Okoro nu Odo, in Rivers State.
He was in Rivers on the invitation of Governor Nyesom Wike for the project commissioning in the state.
Umahi insisted that Tinubu must know that Ayu worked for him so he could integrate him into the next administration.
”I want to also thank the suspended Chairman of the PDP. He did very well because if he had accepted to resign, it would have been very difficult for the APC. So he is our man, and I commend him very, very well. And I am begging Wike that they should lift the suspension so that he can suspend many more of their leaders. We love what he has done, and so we commend him. I think Asiwaju must know that he worked for him and must also integrate him into the next administration,” Umahi said.
Recall that Ayu was suspended by the Benue State branch of the PDP, an action he had described as an exercise in futility.
Also, the embattled national chairman on Tuesday, stepped aside from the office.
His decision was in obedience to an order of a Benue State High Court in Makurdi issued on Monday, which asked him to stop parading himself as PDP national chairman.
Consequently, the deputy national chairman (North), Ambassador Iliya Damagun, has stepped in to take over as the party’s acting national chairman.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed his sadness that some candidates lost in the just concluded general elections in Nigeria.
He also hailed the conduct of the elections, describing it as credible.
He made the comment while speaking at a farewell meeting with the outgoing United States Ambassador, Mary Beth Leonard, at the State House in Abuja on Tuesday.
“President Muhammadu Buhari says, given the chance of a free and fair election as well as non-interference as was witnessed on February 25th and March 18th elections, Nigerians have proved to be capable of deciding who leads them without anyone telling them what to do,” Presidential aide Garba Shehu said in a statement.
“President Buhari who expressed satisfaction with remarkable passion towards democracy exhibited by Nigerians through the choices they made in the Presidential, National Assembly and the subsequent Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections, said Nigeria’s democracy has truly matured.
“People are realising their power. Given the chance of a free and fair vote, nobody can tell them what to do. I am unhappy that some candidates lost in the election. But I am inspired by the fact that voters were able to make their own decision, to decide who won and who lost. With the currency change, there was no money to spread around but even then, I told voters to take the money and vote according to their consciences.”
READ THE FULL STATEMENT BELOW:
STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE
RECENT ELECTIONS PROOF OF NATION’S VOTER VIBRANCY, MATURITY, SAYS PRESIDENT BUHARI
President Muhammadu Buhari says, given the chance of a free and fair election as well as non-interference as was witnessed on February 25th and March 18th elections, Nigerians have proved to be capable of deciding who leads them without anyone telling them what to do.
President Buhari who expressed satisfaction with remarkable passion towards democracy exhibited by Nigerians through the choices they made in the Presidential, National Assembly and the subsequent Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections, said Nigeria’s democracy has truly matured.
“People are realising their power. Given the chance of a free and fair vote, nobody can tell them what to do. I am unhappy that some candidates lost in the election. But I am inspired by the fact that voters were able to make their own decision, to decide who won and who lost. With the currency change, there was no money to spread around but even then, I told voters to take the money and vote according to their consciences.”
President Buhari who was speaking at a farewell meeting with the outgoing United States Ambassador, Mary Beth Leonard at the State House in Abuja, said he was completely satisfied with his own role in the election process staying above it, without meddlesomeness or any form of interference.
The President commended the outgoing Ambassador for the enormous achievements recorded in Nigeria-US relations in the three-and-half years she had been here.
He chronicled a number of challenges faced by Nigeria as the country strives to unite our diverse communities and achieve national development and expressed his appreciation of the way the United States is able to hold together as a nation. He expressed the hope that Nigeria will continue to make progress in building a nation out of our different and competitive communities. He added that he enjoyed working with the Ambassador and wished that she had more time to serve here.
In an answer to a question posed by Ambassador Leonard, President Buhari said he planned to be a “big landlord” back at home, working his farms and tending his more than 300 animals. “I am eager to go,” said the President.
In her remarks, the American Ambassador said she was happy with the progress made in Nigeria-US relations in these three-and –half years, specifically citing the recent institution of a five-year visa regime between the two countries; active collaboration in security and the supply of military hardware including war planes and the soon-to-come fighter helicopters; and also cooperation in the health sector to fight HIV and Covid response, giving assurances that US will continue to assist in the strengthening of Nigeria’s health sector.
Ambassador Leonard expressed her gratitude and that of the US government in the continuing role of the President in ensuring regional security and strengthening of democracy as a system of government, citing his strong response against the recent surge of coups-d’état in West Africa as worthy of commendation.
She expressed hope that even as he is preparing to leave, there are still a few more things the President could do, among which she mentioned, the urgent need to remove fuel subsidy.”
