Former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Olisa Metuh, has resigned from the party and quit partisan politics.
Metuh dropped the bombshell via a letter he sent to the National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, stressing that his continued membership of the PDP or any political party at all would not allow him to “work for the strategic interest and well-being of the Nigerian people”.
“During my three weeks trip for medical and personal reasons, I came to the realization that I can no longer play partisan politics in Nigeria,” Metuh declared.
“The reason for this decision is that from my experience and the nature of politics and development in Nigeria, I believe that I will contribute more to Democracy and good governance in Nigeria by being non-partisan.
“Being Non-Partisan gives me the status to work for the strategic interest and well-being of the Nigerian people without the hinderance of partisanship.
“In that regard, I write respectfully, to formally inform you of my resignation from the PDP and cessation of partisan politics,” the letter partly read.
“Any future participation in politics will only be limited to non-partisan involvements in areas of sustaining and deepening democracy and governance in Nigerian and at the global level.”
Metuh advised Ayu to “insist on issue-based engagement in our political space as the country cannot afford the bitterness and divisions that may arise otherwise”
Ayu has been in the eye of the storm for some months now following the insistence of some party bigwigs and some PDP governors, led by the Rivers State Governor, Barrister Nyesom Wike, that he (Ayu) relinquishes his position.
Wike and the PDP stalwarts have consistently maintained that a northerner should not be the party’s national chairman while the presidential candidate (Atiku Abubakar) is also from the same region.
Wike and his allies, including Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, have bluntly refused to attend the party’s presidential campaign rallies held so far. And even though peace talks are still ongoing, Wike stormed Lagos, last week, and publicly endorsed Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term bid rather than the PDP governorship candidate, Dr. Abdul-Azeez Adediran, a.k.a Jandor.
