The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has began screening of its governorship aspirants for Kogi and Bayelsa states governorship elections billed for November 16, 2019.
The screening which started on Monday in Abuja is currently going on in two different venues simultaneously.
Aspirants from Bayelsa are undergoing the screening at the PDP National Secretariat, while aspirants from Kogi are being screened at Legacy House, the party’s presidential campaign office in Maitama.
The Chairman of the Screening Committee for Kogi is the Governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku, while the Chairman for Bayelsa Screening Committee is the Governor of Oyo, Mr Seyi Makinde.
Speaking with newsmen during the process, Makinde specifically assured that the PDP screening committee would be fair to all aspirants from Bayelsa State with a view to ensuring that the party goes into the proper election as a strong and united entity.
“We don’t want a situation whereby our party will go into the election with a divided house. We want to go into the election as one big family that we are, with a view to retaining the state,” he said.
Speaking with journalists after the screening, former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and governorship aspirant in Bayelsa, Mr Timi Alaibe called on the “delegates to think deeply before selecting their candidate,” he said.
As at the time of filing this report, it was difficult to ascertain the number of aspirants that were screened in both states as the process was still ongoing.