Iyabo Bello-Obasanjo, Mustapha shun screening c’ttee
By Kolade Larewaju
ABEOKUTA—THE crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, appears to be unending as two prominent Senators, daughter of former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, Iyabo Obasanjo–Bello representing Ogun Central and Olalekan Mustapha, representing Ogun East, yesterday, shunned the party’s National Assembly Screening Committee which started its work in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.
Senator Obasanjo-Bello and Mustapha, who belong to the Jubril Martins-Kuye faction of the party in the state, were conspicuously absent at the party secretariat where no fewer than 39 other aspirants jostling for the party’s tickets in the various Senatorial Districts and Federal Constituencies had already registered their names by 3.00 p.m. yesterday.
The screening was, however, yet to start at the time of filling this report as members of the committee were said to have gone out of the premises to attend to some pressing issues.
It would be recalled that some prominent members of the party including Speaker Tunji Egbetokun, his Deputy Mr. Remmy Hazzan and former Local Government Chairman of Ijebu_East; Mr. Tunde Oladunjoye had last week Thursday shunned the House of Assembly Screening Committee at the same venue.
Speaker of the House of Representatives; Mr. Dimeji Bankole who had not yet arrived the venue of the screening at the time of report was said to be on his way to the venue for the exercise.
Also expected was Governor Olugbenga Daniel who is contesting for the Ogun East Senatorial District.
Prominent aspirants who had arrived the venue and written down their names for screening include, the Deputy Governor; Alhaja Salmot Badru, Chief Mrs. Lola Abiola_Edewor, Chief Jelili Kayode Amusan, Chief Derin Adebiyi, Engr. Toyib Adebayo Odunowo, Chief Yinka Ibidunni, Ms. Bimbo Soremekun, Chief Waliu Taiwo and Chief Babatunde Fadun.
Speaking with newsmen at the venue, Eng. Toyib Odunowo a Senatorial aspirant from Ogun East said that the aspirants had been waiting since 9.00 am and that as at 2.00 pm they have not received any word as to when the exercise would actually commence.
Eng. Odunowo said “we have come for the screening process and we want to see everything done transparently and ensure that none of the members of the screening committee has been tainted. Our party is a big one and should be seen to be doing things transparently”
Former Commissioner for Works; Chief Waliu Taiwo who is also aspiring to contest the Senatorial seat in Ogun West also lamented that they had not done any documentation nor received words from members of the screening committee other than that they were around and would soon start.
