Unlike others, the People’s Democratic Party has successfully cleared all the 34 screened aspirants from Bayelsa and Kogi states for the party’s governorship primaries in both states scheduled for September 5, 2019 for the selection of its candidates in the November 16 gubernatorial elections in the two states.
Speaking with news men in Abuja on Wednesday evening, the National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said that all the 13 screened aspirants from Kogi State were cleared while all 21 aspirants from Bayelsa State were also cleared.
According to the list, the aspirants that were cleared in Kogi State include Wada Idris; Senator Dino Melaye; Erico Ameh, Aminu Suleiman, Grace Adejoh, Abubakar Ibrahim, Kabiru Haruna, Musa Wada, Saliu Atawodi (retd), Mohammed Adah, Victor Adoji, Baye Averehi and Emmanuel Omebije
The aspirants from Kogi State were screened by the Screening Committee headed by the Governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku, at the PDP presidential campaign office in Maitama, popularly called the Legacy House.
According to him, those cleared in Bayelsa State are Kaniebi Okoko, Great Maciver, Franklin Osaisai, Ndutime Alaibe, Benson Agadaga, Frederick Agbedi, Reuben Okoya, Diri Douye, Talford Ongolo, Kemlea Okara, Gboribiogha Jonah, Benson Konbowei, Godknows Igali, Johnson Kiyaramo, Paulker Emmanuel, Yariela Oliver, Anthony George-Ikoli, Robinson Etolor, Nimibofa Ayawei, David Alagoa and Igiri Ziperedein.
They were screened at the PDP National Secretariat Wadata, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja by the screening committee headed by the Governor of Oyo State, Mr Seyi Makinde.
Addressing the aspirants, the National Chairman of the Party, Prince Uche Secondus said that the party had no preference as to the aspirants, who emerge the governorship candidates in the two states, adding that the party would ensure transparent governorship primary elections in the states.
According to him,” the election of the ad hoc delegates will resume from Thursday. The elections will be transparently done to the satisfaction of all. The party and indeed the National Working Committee has no preferred candidates. We can’t do that to the detriment of the party.
“Our only duty is to ensure that only the best candidates emerge. We will follow the rules to the letter because we want the best. Anyone that tells you that the party has a preferred candidate is deceiving you. The era of impunity in the party is gone.
“As the National Chairman, I will not preside where anyone will claim that he or she is the preferred candidate of the party.”