All contestants for the post of PDP national chairman and other positions will have to undergo screening, acting chairman Abubakar Baraje said yesterday, referring to a process used to prune down number of candidates for party offices.
Former governor of old Gongola State, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, is being touted as the favoured candidate for chairman, facing many other contestants from the Northeast where the seat is zoned to. Baraje yesterday said the party's leadership would screen aspirants for all the offices in the national working committee ahead of the March 24 national convention.
He said the screening process, which will hold a week to the convention, is to ensure contestants comply with all the rules in accordance with the PDP constitution.
Also in the race for party chairman are former Agriculture minister Adamu Bello, former Bauchi governor Ahmadu Muazu, acting PDP secretary Musa Babayo, former Commerce minister Idris Waziri, Senator Abba Aji, PDP publicity secretary Rufai Alkali, Dr. Shettima Mustapha and Alhaji Gambo Lawal.
In a statement in Abuja yesterday, Baraje said a committee has been constituted by the NWC to screen candidates, and that list of those cleared would be released three days to the convention.
Candidates must be "financial members; they must have proven integrity; they must have reasonable and proven experience; those presently holding any position within or outside the party must follow the necessary procedures to allow them vie for party offices at the national convention," the acting chairman said.
Baraje advised people with grievances over the recently held ward and local government congresses to file their complaints with the appeal committees set up by the party.
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