Conrad Utaan, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State, filed a suit that resulted in the stepping aside of the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu. In an interview with John Charles, Utaan explains why he initiated the legal action and offers his perspective on the PDP’s defeat in the state.
**Why did you file the suit against the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu?**
“I am a card‑carrying member of the PDP and have paid my dues up to date. I was deeply concerned by the party’s woeful performance in the last elections. In Benue we lost every contest except one House of Representatives seat out of eleven, one Senate seat out of three, and seven state assembly seats out of thirty‑two. We also lost the governorship, finishing second, and placed third in the presidential vote. Since Ayu, the national chairman, hails from Benue, we expected a better outcome. In other parties, after such a collapse, the leader would usually resign voluntarily. We waited one to two weeks, but instead of stepping down, Ayu issued suspensions to party members who had worked harder than him, such as Prof. Ityavyar (Dennis). I felt that remaining passive was unacceptable, so I approached the court. I learned that the ward executive had suspended Ayu, and I believed it was important to give that decision legal backing so the party could move forward.”
**What caused the PDP’s failure in Benue?**
“Many attribute the loss to Governor Samuel Ortom, who openly canvassed for the Labour Party before the presidential election. Yet in Rivers and Oyo, where the All Progressives Congress won the presidential vote, the parties still swept the governorship and state assembly elections. The difference in Benue was not a lack of cohesion around local candidates; it was Ayu’s anti‑party activities. He publicly opposed Ortom’s senatorial bid, which was the PDP’s candidate, and convened a meeting on the eve of the election that attracted everyone with a grievance against the Benue leadership. Ayu is more adept at destroying unity than building it, and that sabotage, not an unpopular candidate, led to our defeat. Large sums were spent to undermine the party’s credibility just before the general elections.”
**Are you being used by Governor Ortom or other G‑5 governors?**
“No. I am not a state employee nor a member of Governor Ortom’s staff; I have been a party member for about a year. I have always been in the opposition and understand party politics. I do not need direction from Ortom or any G‑5 governor. My relationship with Ortom is limited to his role as the state party leader and governor.”
**Does Ayu have grassroots support in Benue?**
“Someone who lost his own polling unit, ward, local government, senatorial district, state and presidential elections—how can he claim grassroots backing? It is a rhetorical question. Ayu was elected senator in 1992, but he did not win the primary; he was defeated by Prof. David Iornem. Rev. Fr. Moses Adasu intervened for the sake of equity, allowing Ayu to take the seat. Since then, he has never won any election, indicating he lacks genuine support anywhere in Benue.”
**Is there any hope that Ayu will return as national chairman?**
“We do not expect that if the PDP wants to rebuild. Ayu cannot even gather ten supporters in his own council ward. For the party to revive, it must move beyond leaders like him. It is painful to note that thirteen of the seventeen ward members passed a vote of no confidence in him, which says a lot about his standing.”
**What changes do you expect after Ayu’s exit?**
“Personally, I have a case against Ayu scheduled for 17 April, and I do not want him as national chairman. More broadly, the PDP should dissolve the current national executive, hold a mini‑convention, and elect a new, energetic leadership. This would inject vigor into the party, allow it to reposition itself, and prepare for the next election cycle.”
**Do you fear retaliation for causing Ayu’s removal?**
“Ayu helped remove Barnabas Gemade as national chairman, and no one killed him. Doing the right thing, regardless of who is affected, is not a crime. Ayu suspended Prof. Ityavyar, a fellow Tiv, and invited Governor Ortom to face a disciplinary committee in Abuja, possibly to expel him. All of us are Tiv, and we take responsibility for our decisions. I am prepared to defend my actions anytime, anywhere. This is not about personal rivalry or ethnicity; it is about strengthening democracy in our party so that we can deliver its dividends to Nigerians.”
**Will the identity of who removes whom matter to ordinary citizens?**
“No. Ordinary people care about water, health care, food, and safety, not which individual chairs the PDP. Those basic needs outweigh any sentimental or parochial concerns.”
**Since the case began, have you received any threats?**
“I do not dwell on street rumors. Honestly, I have received no threats. My family and I continue to live normally, with our doors open 24 hours a day and unchanged security. I feel comfortable knowing I have done the right thing. Some have called from across the country, asking why I waited so long, suggesting that if I had acted before the general election the PDP might have won. In hindsight, I regret not moving earlier; the outcome could have been different.”
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