After Dr Iyorcha Ayu's suspension by the leadership of his ward in Benue State, GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has challenged Ayu to a battle for the PDP's core principles.

In his speech during the opening of the remodelled Community Secondary School in Okoro-nu-Odo, Obio-Akpor Local Government Area (LGA), Wike stated that no one should be permitted to lead the party if they cannot carry the party in their unit, ward, LGA, or state in the general elections of 2023.

“Ask those who want to be chairman of this party (PDP), what do you have to give now? Presidential election; you took a bribe, and lost in your unit, lost in your ward, lost in your local government and lost in your State. Which party will you preside over now?

“Those fighting that they have suspended him, you have not seen anything yet. The fight has started. Ayu, the fight has just started. If you know him, those of you who are close to him, tell him, Iyorchia Ayu, the fight has just started.

“Will you preside over the one (Rivers PDP) I have secured victory for? Do you want to come and preside over this State so that we will begin to donate money to the party? Bring your State to the party too, so your State can contribute money to the nation. If you don’t deliver your State, you can’t preside over us. You cannot.

“Look at somebody who did anti-party, he is suspending people. The chief priest of the anti-party, a native doctor of the anti-party, suspended those who have worked hard for this party. All of you joining Ayu, be prepared. Now, I have no other job. The job I have now is to put more heat on them and I will continue to do that.

“If you like, let the National Secretary rush to Abuja. Let them meet this afternoon and say the suspension is illegal, you will see what you will face. You are calling us small boys, you will see what small boys can do to you," He claimed,

The governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, opened the school project on this occasion and praised his Rivers colleague as a man who loves his people as seen by his consistent delivery of projects across sectors to improve their quality of life.

Umahi argued that given his host's tremendous infrastructural development, it would be absurd for any opposition to dare oppose the PDP, who are currently in power in Rivers State.

On how the PDP issue aided the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the general elections, he said, “I thank very highly the suspended Chairman of PDP. You know, 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 well. And I’m begging Wike that they should lift the suspension so that he can suspend many more of your leaders. We love what he has done. We commend him and I think Asiwaju (Bola Tinubu) must know that he worked for him, and must also integrate him into the next administration.

“And, so all these set of people, Asiwaju/Shettima must know that God turned their hands, to work for him, to actualize the will of God and actualize unity, equity and fairness. And we are very grateful to God for that.

“God, directly and indirectly, made Governor Wike very much available. SI, there is no way APC can conclude about the success of the election without mentioning Governor Wike. And I will be asking Asiwaju/Shettima to please bring Governor Wike to the core administration of the federal government. He has a lot to offer, for the unity of the country.”