Former Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, was on Monday, cleared by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) South-South governorship screening committee in Port Harcourt to contest the 2015 election in Rivers State.
Also cleared were Senator Lee Maeba, Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja, Pawariso Samuel Horsfall, Captain Nwankwo Sunday, Bernard Mikko and Ibinabo Michael-West.
As at press time, it was not clear how many of the 16 aggrieved aspirants on the PDP platform were cleared, as there were conflicting reports.
However, it was gathered that among those disqualified were Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, Prince Tonye Princewill, Chief Bekinbo Dagogo-Jack, Mr. Nimi Walson Jack and Prof. Dom Baridom.
Others were Major Lancelot Ayanya, Gabriel Pidomsom, Oseleye Dennis Ojuka, Sampson Ngerebara and Mrs. Abietedogho Bob-Hart. The aspirants were disqualified as they were said not to be registered members of the PDP.
Reacting to the criticisms that trailed the disqualification of the aspirants, the state Chairman of the party, Chief Felix Obuah, said the screening panel was approved by the national secretariat of the party, adding that the panel carried out the assignment independently in line with the party’s constitution.
Meanwhile information reaching our political desk had it that three of the alleged disqualified Rivers PDP guber aspirants have declared intention to defect to the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA). Dependable source hinted this weekly that Tonye Princewill, Lulu-Briggs and Nimi Walson-Jack map likely dump the ruling PDP for APGA. As at the time of filing this report, the political aid to one of the disqualified gubernatorial aspirants told our report that his boss night contest the governorship on APGA platform. ###
