Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has called for the resignation of Iyorchia Ayu, national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Mr Makinde made the call on Wednesday when he hosted Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the PDP and his entourage in Ibadan, the state capital.
Mr Abubakar alongside Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, his running mate, attended the south-west stakeholders meeting where the demand was made.
“Our party wants to rescue Nigeria and our candidate is a unifier. He wants to restructure Nigeria,” the governor said. “Eight years of the All Progressives Congress have left us sharply divided. The issue is we must practice what we preach. If we want to unify Nigeria, we must unify the PDP first.
“If we want to restructure Nigeria, we must have the willingness to bring inclusivity to the PDP. Do we have the capacity? The answer is resounding yes.
“The message from the south-west PDP is that the south-west is asking that the national working committee (NWC) of the PDP should be restructured.
“We are asking the national chairman to step down so that the south will be fully included. That is the message.”
The Oyo helmsman belongs to the camp of Governor Nyesom Wike demanding the resignation of Mr Ayu who has left the country to Europe.
The PDP official had described those making the demand as children after being reminded of his promise to step aside should a Northerner emerge presidential candidate of the opposition party.