By Henry UMORU
The national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, has ruled out automatic ticket for any of the party’s aspirants ahead of the 2011 polls, including its governors.

Nwodo spoke yesterday in reaction to reports that the PDP had granted automatic nomination to second term seeking governors as part of the deal brokered with President  Goodluck Jonathan that earned him (president) their endorsement for next year’s presidential race.

‘No room  for automatic ticket’

Dismissing the reports that the governors of the PDP had secured automatic nomination for the 2011 polls, Nwodo, who, yesterday, told all the party’s aspirants to get for the ‘’fight’‘, said, ‘’For the avoidance of doubts, all positions in the 2011 primaries are open to all members who have signified their interests to contest. Our guidelines are very clear that all positions shall be contested for. There is therefore no room for imposition of candidates under whatever guise.’‘

In a statement signed  by the PDP national publicity secretary, Professor Rufai Ahmed Alkali, the PDP leadership said, ‘’We wish to reiterate here that the NWC is committed to the provision of a level playing field for all aspirants at all levels in our primaries.

‘’The aspirations of thousands of our party faithful  who purchased forms to contest for offices on our platform cannot be truncated by fiat especially under the ongoing reforms in our party.’‘

The PDP national chairman, who noted that the party was disturbed by the reports  that some  aspirants will get automatic tickets to contest  the 2011 general elections,  accused the party’s enemies as the brains behind what he termed confusing reports.

Battle for guber tickets

The 215 aspirants jostling for the PDP tickets and the party’s governors gunning for second term are due to be screened at  the PDP zonal secretariats nationwide on December 21 and 22 while the special congresses and runoffs (if any) to elect the party’s gubernatorial candidates hold on January 9, 2011.

Going by the list of aspirants already submitted by the PDP state headquarters to the national secretariat in Abuja for screening, only Governors Gabriel Suswan of Benue State, Chief Martins Elechi of Ebonyi State, Alhaji Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State and Senator Liyel Imoke of Cross River State are not being challenged for the party’s gubernatorial ticket.

Others are Chief Christopher Alao-Akala of Oyo, Alhaji Aliyu Shinkafi of Zamfara and Alhaji Mahmud Aliyu Magatakarda of Sokoto.

Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva has the highest number of challengers, 10, followed by Admiral Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), 9; David Jonah Jang (Plateau), and Chief Ikedi Ohakim (Imo) 4.

Governors Patrick Yakowa (Kaduna) and Danbaba Suntai (Taraba) have three challengers each.
Others are Isa Yuguda (Bauchi), Aliyu Akwe Doma (Nasarawa), Hon. Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), each with two challenges.

Governors Theodore Orji, (Abia), Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom) and Sullivan Chime (Enugu) have one challenger each.