By Charles Okogene
Dr. Iyorcha Ayu who was born November 15, 1952, came to the political consciousness of Nigerians in 1992 . That was the year he was elected the senate president. In fact, the number three citizen of Nigeria in the option A4 days of military president, Gen. Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida’s endless transition, which culminated in the annulment of the June 12,1993 presidential election and the crisis that followed .
Before then, he had distinguished himself as a scholar of repute at University of Jos. From the ivory tower, he journeyed to the Daily Times of Nigeria of old, before the ownership of the newspaper conglomerate changed hands during the presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo. He was in the Daily Times for the usual sabbatical leave common among university teachers.
While serving his sabbatical at the editorial board of Daily Times, Agidingbi, he mingled and mixed so well with the staff and management of the newspaper company that when he returned to the lecture room, his absence was still felt by all that met him at the editorial board room of the Daily times then.
It may not be out of place to say that it was during his sabbatical days that his paths with Mr. Segun Ayobolu crossed. At the Daily Times their relationship grew stronger and it was not surprising to those who knew when after his emergency as senate president then, he appointed Ayobolu his media aide.
Just like others from North Central zone the likes of Amen Ebute, David Mark, Bukola Saraki among others have led the the Senate after him. As his adoption as consensus candidate by the North Central zone of the party has been ratified by the other zones and he has emerged the national chairman, he is stepping into the office of PDP chairman after the likes of Barnabas Gemade, who is not only from his zone, but same state, Benue.
There is no doubt that Ayu who has been there and done that like Americans will say, is competent to lead People’s Democratic Party, PDP, to the 2023 elections and beyond.
He is coming with a bag full of experience he gained over the years from the University of Jos where he lectured sociology, Daily Times, the senate and the various ministries he served as minister during the regime of Abacha and Obasanjo. It is expected that he has all it takes to lead PDP in these troubled times if he puts his mind to it and discharges his job according to the party’s constitution and not a partisan chairman.
As a party man who has tasted internal party injustice that led him to defect from PDP to AC, it is hoped that he will not do what will lead others to leave the party.
One thing is clear, he is a die in the wool supporter of Atiku Abubakar; he was the former vice president’s head of Presidential campaign on the Action Congress, AC, platform in April 2007.
In February 2007, Ayu was arrested and later arraigned before a Federal High Court on charges of terrorism. He was later released on bail. In March 2007, he spoke out against the failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to include Atiku’s name on the list of candidates for that year’s presidential poll.
As a scholar, he authored several papers.
•Okogene is a former editor of Saturday Independent and guest columnist. He wrote from Lagos.