In 1997, a group of patriots began meeting under the Chairmanship of Dr. Alex Ekwueme under the banner of the Institute of Civil Society (ICS). Those early meetings in 1997 were held at the Lagos Residence of Dr. Ekwueme and later in the Ikoyi office of Senator Francis Ellah. The aim of the group was to forge a political alliance against the self-succession bid of Gen. Sani Abacha.
Members of that group were Dr. Alex Ekwueme (Chairman), Prof. Jerry Gana (Secretary), Alhaji Adamu Ciroma, Chief Solomon Lar, Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, Chief Bola Ige, Senator Francis Ellah, Alhaji Sule Lamido and Sen. Iyorchia Ayu (Ph.D) – the group was dubbed G9.
In October 1997, some members of the group rallied more Northerners and 18 of them held a meeting in the residence of Mallam Adamu Ciroma in Kaduna against Abacha. Those 18 men were Chief Solomon Lar (Chairman), Prof. Jerry Gana (Secretary), Alhaji Adamu Ciroma, Alhaji Lawal Kaita, Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, Dr. Suleiman Kumo, Malam Lawan Dambazau, Alhaji Iro Abubakar Danmusa, Alhaji Sule Lamido, Col. Abubakar Umar (Rtd), Hon. Isaac Shahu, Dr. Usman Bugaje, Alhaji Mohammed Arzika, Dr. Steve Achema, Dr. Farouk Abdulazeez, Professor Musa Yakubu and Sen. Iyorchia Ayu (Ph.D) – this group was called the G18.
A national meeting of elder statesmen was called at the Mainland Hotel in Lagos, one representing each state but Abacha intercepted and arrested 2 of the 36 delegates – Abubakar Rimi and Sule Lamido who represented Kano and Jigawa, Kano being Abacha’s home-state. So only 34 members attended and the group became known as G34.
The courageous members of the G34 were Alex Ekwueme (Chairman), Prof. Jerry Gana (Secretary), Chief Solomon Lar, Mallam Adamu Ciroma, Chief Bola Ige, Senator Francis J. Ellah, Alhaji Lawal Kaita, Dr. Basil N. Ukegbu, Dr. Sulemanu Kumo, Ambassador Yahaya Kwande, Dr. Tunji Otegbeye, Mallam Lawan Danbazzau, Chief Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Alhaji Ali Baba, Chief Olanihun Ajayi, Alhaji Iro Abubakar Dan Musa, Alhaji Mohammed Arzika, Col. Abubakar Umar (Rtd), Alhaji Ganiyu Olawale Dawodu, Senator Onyeabo Obi, Professor Ango Abdullahi, Hon. Isaac Shaahu, Col. Yohanna Madaki (Rtd), Alhaji Balarabe Musa, Air Cdr. Jonah Jang (Rtd), Professor Musa Yakubu, Senator Emeka Echeruo, Dr. Steve Achema, Dr. Usman Bugaje, Chief Omowale Kuye, Mallam Dauda Tsoho, Major. Gen. Zamani Lekwot (Rtd), Chief G.O.S. Ogwe and Sen. Iyorchia Ayu (Ph.D).
The G34 became the last stand against Abacha and it was the only fully national opposition force against him until his death in June 1998, paving the way for a new political order as announced by General Abdusalami Abubakar.
A special meeting on party formation by the G34 was held on Tuesday, 18th August 1998, at the residence of Prof. Jerry Gana at 21 Mambilla Street in Abuja who was the secretary of the group and under the chairmanship of Dr. Alex Ekwueme. During that meeting, members decided to expand into political groups and resolved to come together to form a nation-wide, broad-based, people-oriented and highly principled Political Party. Stayung steadfast from the G9 to the G18 to the G34, Sen. Iyorchia Ayu (Ph.D) from a political association called the Social Progressives, became a founding father of the PDP and in October 2021, he became the National Chairman of the only truly National Peoples Democratic Party.
Iyorchia Ayu has been a senior Lecturer, President of the 3rd Senate as Senator from Benue on the platform of the SDP, Minister, National and consistent Ideologue. With him as National Chairman, PDP has ideologically returned to the ideals of our founding fathers.
Congratulations to Sen. Iyorchia Ayu (Ph.D) and all members of the PDP National Working Committee.
