The Peoples Democratic Party Screening Committee on Monday cleared 13 out of 16 aspirants for the Ekiti State governorship election slated for June 21.
The Chairman of the committee, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, made this known when he presented the committee’s report to the party leadership in Abuja.
Ndoma-Egba said Senator Bode Olowoporoku, Peter Obafemi and Bosede Dada were disqualified from contesting the election.
He said that Olowoporoku could not provide evidence of tax clearance certificate and a court judgment overturning his expulsion from the party.
The chairman said Dada had no evidence of payment of membership dues, tax clearance certificate and West African School Certificate, the minimum qualification for all aspirants.
He said that Obafemi was disqualified because he had no National Youth Service Corps discharge certificate.
Ndoma-Egba said that aspirants who felt the committee did not meet their aspiration had the opportunity of going to the Appeal Panel, which was also set up on Monday.
He said: “We have evidence before us that Olowoporoku had been expelled from the party, but he said here that he had gone to court and had set aside the expulsion.
“Unfortunately, the court judgment he sent to us came to us a few minutes before we presented our report.
“Which means that his option now is to take it to the Appeal Panel and I am sure they will look very favourably at that.
“So all hope is not lost.”
Ndoma-Egba, who stressed the need for a consensus candidate, said: “I believe that this is a political process and the aspirants should be talking to themselves.
“At the end of the day, they should know that they are better off if they work together.
“So, we urge all of them to subordinate their individual interest for the party’s interest, which is to reclaim Ekiti.”
He, however said that though the screening committee had done its best, the party leadership had the key decision.
Reacting, the PDP Deputy National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, who received the report, commended the committee members for a job well done and for a transparent screening.
Secondus maintained that the party leadership would ensure that justice was done to all party members, adding that no one would be left out in the process.
He said that this was the only way PDP could show to everybody that it was a party for all, including the people at the grassroots.
He emphasised that the party would carry everybody along at all stages, including the media, to educate the public on its activities.
Those cleared were Ayo Fayose, a former governor of the state; Oluwadare Bajide; retired Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade, a former Minister of Police Affairs; and Prince Adedayo Adeyeye.
Others were Adeyanju Sunday, Erelu Ogundipe, Abiodun Aluko, Adewale Aribisala, Oladeji Omoyeni, Olubenga Aluko, Oluropo Ogunbolude, Dr Omolara Adubiaro and Ajayi Ayodeji.
The PDP Ekiti State primary is expected to hold on March 15.
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