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Atiku, Saraki, Tambuwual others in a last-ditch effort to get the delegate’s  nod

… As the Mark-led panel concludes screening

John Alechenu, Abuja

The Senator David Mark-led Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Screening Committee, on Friday, disqualified 15 out of 17 aspirants who were screened.

The Chairman of the panel, Senator David Mark, announced this after the exercise held at the PDP Legacy House.

He told reporters, “We screened 17 (aspirants), 15 were cleared, 2 were not cleared. They have the right to appeal. All the aspirants are qualified to become a candidate of the party.”

Mark, however, declined to name those affected or why they were disqualified.

It was however gathered that aside from the curriculum vitae and documents submitted by the aspirants, the panel will be considering party loyalty,  track record, financial standing and well national appeal in making a recommendation.

It was also gathered that the panel conscious of the fact that its decisions will be subject to appeal “will ensure that no loose ends were left “ said an insider.

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, a former President of the Senate Bukola Saraki; Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, were among the first set of those screened.

Most of the aspirants who spoke to reporters after the exercise expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the committee.

Also Read:

PDP begins screening 17 of presidential aspirants

They were however non-committal on the subject of zoning.

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, in response to a question on the botched consensus arrangement among Northern aspirants, said, “With regards to the consensus that you mentioned. We have talked about this several times.

“We have taken it behind our back. This is something that we take away and something that we cherish so much coming from our community, not from the party.

“The party has a process of the emergence of candidates through the primaries, but what we did in the consensus is not a new one it has been done before and some people have benefited on it.

“I’m a Democrat. If anyone of us gets it  other than myself, am ready to support him.“

In response to another question on his earlier assertion to stay out of the race should former President, GoodLuck Jonathan was contesting, he said, “ This is another new development, politics is dynamic.

“I have told Nigeria and I am a man of my own words that I will not be contesting alongside Jonathan and I have gotten his go-ahead before I came to this level, I have gone very far.

“I have gotten a consensus status from my section of the country, and I have gotten supporters we can see across the country, but certainly it’s something that we are going to sit down and discuss.

“I’m not going to swallow my words. I respect President Jonathan so much and I know up to this moment, he has not declared he is not here.

“ And declaration is not the assumption or assumption of the ticket of the party. But certainly, if you collect the ticket of any other party, I will not be joining issues with him.”

In his remarks, former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, described the exercise as thorough.

He said, “It was like every other normal well-organized screening where they went through documents we were supposed to present.

On zoning, he said, “Whatever the party does, for me is to care more about what Nigerian people are looking for. How do we create a future for the teeming unemployed Nigerian youths pulling Nigerians out of hunger?

“The party has the final say. I can’t have a thought, I’m a member of a party. If the party says this is where they want the party to go, if you’re a member of an organization, you respect that organization. And that is why I said, whatever we do, the most critical thing is, what we do to pull Nigerians out of poverty and create a future for teeming unemployed youths of Nigeria.“

Speaking in a similar vein, Akwa Ibom State

Governor Emmanuel Udom, said “I want to believe that so many things are to my own advantage because if you look at my antecedents if you look at my training if you look at the capacity and above all, I think age is also on my side because the problem is with Nigeria today needs a very strong agile young man. And I think all around, I think like so many factors are in my favour, and that will be decided by the electorate on the primaries.

On the position of Southern Governors on the issue of zoning, he said,  “Party is supreme, if the party has spoken we will all abide by what the party has said.”

Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, on his part said,  “The panel said they’ve gone through my CV, they’re satisfied and they only want me to talk on the stomach infrastructure policy of my government and I was holding sway in Ekiti State.

“So, I told them, the importance of stomach infrastructure. And I equally made it very clear that if I become president of Nigeria. I will have a minister for stomach infrastructure and the welfare of the people.

“So, for me, stomach infrastructure is part of being supportive of ordinary Nigeria, as will be necessary.

“Stomach infrastructure under my watch, as president of Nigeria will be a major theme. “

On zoning, he said “Well, I say it again, very expressly, that I am for zoning and I believe the best thing this party can do for posterity, for tomorrow, so as not to cause confusion is for this party to zone this presidential campaign or presidential election.

“You know why, If we fail to do it, even if we say anybody can contest, you must officially zone it to the South.

“In 1999 it was zoned to the South which brought Obasanjo and Olu Falaye. Rimi is still congested within the ambit of the Constitution.

“But the party must remember, whatever we do today, will stand against us tomorrow. The system is not functioning in our country, the institutions are not functioning which is why we have all these problems.

“And we must be courageous enough to say this is going to South. If you want to contest the Nigerian constitution still gives you the leverage, the opportunity to do so. I support zoning this to southern Nigeria.

“And if you look at APC largely those obtaining these forms are from the South and because they know the president of Nigeria currently is from the north.

“It is not a party Affair, he is president of Nigeria is in the north now it must come to the South.

“This is not a sign of weakness, but it’s a sign to make sure that you don’t have the leeway for some people who will be using it negatively in future.“

Also, another aspirant, Dele Momodu, expressed confidence that he would scale through.

He said, “It was a very straightforward exercise. I’m looking forward to a robust engagement with Nigerians in the coming days and the coming weeks are going to be exciting. Anyone who feels Dele Momodu is here to waste time or to step down for somebody tell them that Dele Momodu is a man of principle.

Vanguard News Nigeria