From Victor Osula, Abuja
The ongoing inter-party crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, reared its head again on Thursday, a day after the National Chairman Iyochia Ayu was replaced by Illiya Damagun, Nation Deputy Chairman as the new men in power reversed the suspension of former President of the Senate, Ayim Pius Anyim and ex-Ekiti governor, Ayo Fayose.
Other party chieftains whose suspension were also reversed also are Ibrahim Shema, Dennis Ityavyar and Aslam Aliyu.
According to the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, on Thursday, the party’s National Executive Committee, NEC, lifted the sanction after an extensive deliberation. The NEC also reversed the referral of the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom to the National Disciplinary Committee.
Ologunagba said; “The NWC recognised the imperativeness of a total reconciliation among party leaders and critical stakeholders for a more cohesive party in the overall interest of our teeming members and Nigerians in general.
“Consequent upon the above, the NWC reverses the referral of the Governor of Benue State, His Excellency, Dr. Samuel Ortom to the National Disciplinary Committee.
“The NWC in the same vein reverses the suspension of the following underlisted members of our great Party: H.E Ibrahim Shema (Katsina State), Ayodele Fayose (Ekiti State), Sen. Pius Anyim (Ebonyi State), Prof. Dennis Ityavyar (Benue State), and Dr. Aslam Aliyu (Zamfara State).
“This decision is without prejudice to the powers of the NWC to take necessary disciplinary action against any member of the Party at any time pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017)
“The NWC charges all leaders, critical stakeholders and teeming members of our Party across the country to be guided by the provisions of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017) as well as the new spirit and necessity of reconciliation, unity and harmony in our Party at this critical time.”
The chieftains of the party were earlier sanction for anti-party activities as all of them had campaigned for presidential candidates other than that of the party, Atiku Abubakar.
Anyim and Fayose publicly campaigned for the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola AhmedTinubu of the All Progressives, while Ortom publicly endorsed Peter Obi of the Labour Party, LP. Ortom and Fayose are also known members of the Governor Nyesom Wike led G5, (including Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo and Abia and Enugu counterparts, Dr OkezieIkpeazu and Ifeanyi Uguwuany, respectively), within the PDP who rejected Atiku and Ayu.
