Gombe PDP lawmaker kicks against suspension… Constituents pass vote of confidence on him

William Attah, Gombe

Member, Gombe State House of Assembly, Mr. Rambi Ibrahim Ayala, has kicked against his one month suspension by the State chapter of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Mr. Ayala is among the few opposition members in the State Assembly and he says some party members have been striving to thwart his election since the primary election stage in 2018.

He won the primary election but was denied the party’s ticket. He went to the courts up to the Supreme Court level where he claimed his mandate after the 2019 general elections.

Reacting to a letter he said was purported to have suspended him from the party for one month, Mr. Ayala addressed a press conference where he told Journalists that the action was laughable, needless, uncalled for and an invitation to crisis.

He said he has already instructed his lawyers to write to the party to withdraw the suspension because, “as a loyal party member and a Nigerian, I believe my rights have been grossly violated”.

According to him, “they have also gone ahead to bring me into public disrepute because they have also gone public with their action by issuing press releases in the media”.

He explained that his alleged offences in the letter were that he made a comment that was regarded as disrespectful during a meeting held on 30th June, 2020 and that he walked out before the end of the meeting.

He said, “my only offense according to the letter, was that I said, replacing elected ward officials in Billiri North, Baganje North and Tal wards after being sworn in over two months after elections will not bring peaceful coexistence, harmony and will not augur well for the party.

“The second reason was that I walked out of the meeting before all agendas for the meeting were exhausted when in actual fact, I took an excuse at the tail end of the meeting after all agendas were discussed before leaving the meeting venue because of some urgent issues I had to attend to”, he stated adding that if all these were the reasons for his suspension, “it was laughable.”

He said therefore that, ” as far as I am concerned, I remain with the PDP and I will continue to ensure that my rights and privileges are protected”.

Meanwhile, a large crowd of PDP supporters from Billiri South ward in Billiri Local Government Area, gathered and presented a vote of confidence letter to the Honourable Member.

The letter was signed by the chairman and PRO, Lewis Jinjiri and Iliyasu Yusuf respectively, and was also copied to the State Chairman of the Party, Major General MA Kwaskebe (rtd).

According to the letter, “any attempt to intimidate or harass Honourable Rambi Ibrahim Ayala under any pretense will not augur well and may spell doom in the fortunes of the party”.

“We appreciate and commend the leadership of Hon. Rambi Ibrahim Ayala, in the development of our party and the advancement of democracy in our Ward, Local Government, State and the country at large,” the supporters stressed.