SaharaReporters had reported that Iyorchia Ayu, described party members calling for his resignation as children who knew nothing about the party.
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has criticised the Peoples Democratic Party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, for displaying "ingratitude" and "arrogance" after being aided in obtaining the party's national leadership seat.
"These children you said we are, brought you from nothing,” the governor said on Thursday at the opening of the Omerelu Internal Roads in the state's Ikwerre Local Government Area.
SaharaReporters had reported that Iyorchia Ayu, described party members calling for his resignation as children who knew nothing about the party.
Ayu said he had not committed any offence to warrant a call for his resignation as the party chairman, adding that those demanding that he should vacate the office were not around when the party was formed.
Recall that following the internal crisis rocking the party, the camp of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State gave Ayu’s resignation as one of the conditions that had to be fulfilled to resolve the post-presidential primaries crisis.
The crisis started after the former Nigerian Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, defeated Governor Wike in the presidential primaries of the party in May this year.
It was expected that Atiku would pick Governor Wike as running mate but he (Atiku) went for Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa.
Wike’s supporters had argued that it is unfair for the party’s chairman and its presidential flag bearer to hail from the same region.
Meanwhile, Wike urged Ayu to demonstrate his honor and integrity by keeping his vow to resign as chairman if the northern area produced the party's presidential candidate.
He said, “Somebody said those of you who said the right thing must be done are boys, they are children. You can imagine what power can do. You can imagine how ingratitude, how people can be ingrates.
“I thought as a chairman of a party who wants to win the election, your business is to bring peace to the party; your business is not to divide your party, your business is not to show arrogance.
“Dr Ayu said we are children. Yes, the children brought you to be chairman of the party, the children brought you from the gutter to make you chairman.
“Ayu, you were impeached as Senate President, Ayu you were sacked by (former President Olusegun) Obasanjo in his administration two times. Arrogance cannot take you anywhere.”