PDP says APC defectors will face the same screening panel as other presidential candidates later this month

PEOPLES Democratic Party (PDP) officials have revealed that those who recently defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and want to stand in its presidential primaries later this year will face the same screening panel as other members later this month.

Over the last two months, the Nigerian political space has been very active with hundreds of high profile defections taking place ahead of the February 2019 elections. Several senior members of the APC have joined the PDP so they can stand as presidential candidates, while there have also been a lot of PDP leaders switching to the APC because they were offered good deals.

Among the APC leaders who have joined the PDP recently include Atiku Abubakar, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Aminu Tambuwal and Bukola Saraki. They will join the likes of Ibrahim Dankwambo, Sule Lamido, Tanimu Turaki, Ibrahim Shekarau, Attahiru Bafarawa, Jonah Jang and Ahmed Datti to seek the PDP's presidential ticket.

So far, the PDP's national leadership has yet to constitute a panel that will screen its presidential aspirants or look into their credentials. Already, many of the aspirants who have purchased the party’s presidential and expression of interest forms are said to be waiting for the naming of the panel.

Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP's publicity secretary, said, however, that there was nothing wrong in the delay, saying that the party would soon name the members of the panel. He added that the party was still busy selling its forms, pointing out that as soon as that was done, the National Working Committee would release the list.

 “There is nothing to worry about in that as you know we are still selling our forms. As soon as we are done with the selling of the forms, we will constitute the panel as we have nothing to hide and the aspirants are also aware of that.

“The party has said that it will be transparent and we will abide by that. So, we have nothing to fear or worry about,” Mr Ologbondiyan added.

According to the revised timetable of the party, the screening of the presidential aspirants will hold on September 12, while the screening of the governorship aspirants would hold on September 11 and that of National Assembly candidates would hold two days earlier. Those aspiring for state houses of assembly would have their turn on September 7.