Iyorchia Ayu issues quit notice to ruling APC following his election as new PDP chairman

FORMER senate president Senator Iyorchia Ayu has been elected as the new chairman of Nigeria's main opposition the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at its annual national convention held in Abuja yesterday.

Senator Ayu, who served briefly as senate president in the Third Republic between 1992 and 1993,  also  held three ministerial positions in the government of President Olusegun Obasanjo.  Born in Gboko in Benue State, before entering politics, Senator Ayo taught sociology in the University of Jos and was the local chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

Going into yesterday's convention, Senator Ayu was the consensus candidate of the northern PDP leaders after two other contestants withdrew from the race. Former Katsina State governor  Ibrahim Shema and a former senator from Bauchi State, Abdul Ningi, pulled out of the contest in the ruin-up to the convention, making it more of a coronation than an election.

Senator Ayu added: The PDP is back, we are determined and the other party is a contraption. In two weeks time you will see the power that will come back into the PDP in every state.

"A small group of people decided to divide Nigeria but we will unite the country and move ahead to develop this country. We did it before, we will do it again. The other party can never hold a convention, so this is a quit notice to the other party that we are taking back the country and will develop it."

A total of 3,511 accredited delegates to the convention were called out to vote. In total, 20 positions were filled, with this executive committee charged with preparing the party for the 2023 general elections.

Elected officials

Iyorchia Ayu- national chairman

Umar Iliya Damagum- deputy national chairman (North)

Taofeek Arapaja- deputy national chairman (South)

Samuel Anyanwu (national secretary)

Ahmed Yayari Mohammed (national treasurer)

Umar Bature (national organising secretary)

Daniel Woyegikuro (national financial secretary)

Stella Effah-Attoe (national woman leader)

Mohammed Kadade Suleiman (national youth leader)

Kamaldeen Adeyemi Ajibade (national legal adviser)

Debo Ologunagba (national publicity secretary)

Okechukwu Obiechina Daniel (national auditor)

Setonji Koshoede (deputy national secretary)

Ndubisi Eneh David (deputy national treasurer)

Ibrahim Abdullahi (deputy national publicity secretary)

Ighoyota Amori (deputy national organising secretary)

Adamu Kamale (deputy national financial secretary)

Hajaja Yakubu Wanka (deputy national woman leader)

Timothy Osadolor (deputy national youth leader)

Okechukwu Osuoha (deputy national legal adviser)