Senator Iyorchia Ayu, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has said no individual leader can hijack the party.
Ayu spoke at the reception ceremony organised in honour of former governor of Kano State and Senator representing Kano Central, IIbrahim Shekarau, in Kano, who defected to the party over the weekend.
Addressing party’s faithful at the event, Ayu said that nobody can destroy nor distract the party from achieving victory in 2023 maintaining, the party (PDP) was built by leaders collectively. There will never be individual leader in the party.’’
“We’re not going to be distracted by those who believe that in peddling lies they would destroy the PDP. I believe that God willing, we shall overcome all the distrustful forces. Our party would get more united,” he noted.
He thanked God that the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, was already making genuine efforts to bring every member of the party back to the family.
He described the day as his happiest since assuming office as PDP national chairman, noting that Kano State was strategic and important to the PDP.
He observed that the PDP has its origin in Kano, saying the party actually began When the late Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi started mobilising the rest of them to resist the military dictatorship of that era.
Ayu explained that the entire leadership of the party was happy to be in the city of Malam Aminu Kano even as he confessed that getting Ibrahim Shekarau to rejoin the PDP was not easy as there were equally other suitors.
He described Shekarau as a team player who is ready to work with other members to ensure victory for the party at the state and federal levels.
Shekarau urged his supporters to work for the PDP to ensure that it emerged victorious at the 2023 general elections.
“I have written to the NNPP National Chairman, chairmen at the state, local governments, and ward levels of the party that I have dumped the NNPP.
“I have equally written to INEC Chairman and to the Kano State Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC that I am no longer contesting the senatorial position on the platform of the NNPP,’’ he said.
He was consequently registered into the PDP by its Northwest vice-chairman, Sen. Bello Hayatu-Gwarzo.
Shekarau joined the NNPP in May 2022 after defecting from the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the platform of which he won the senatorial seat.
He announced his latest defection in Kano where he said all his supporters also crossed to the PDP.
The ceremony was attended by Atiku, his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, the Chairman of Board of Trustees, Senator Walid Jibrin, Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal and his counterpart from Taraba State, Darius Dickson Ishaku. former vice president Nnamadi Sambo, former minister of foreign affairs, Aminu Wali, former governors of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido and Ibrahim Saminu Turaki.
