Atiku,Saraki, Wike, Tambuwal, Others PDP Presidential Aspirants Face Screening Panel Today

ALL the 17 presidential aspirants under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will know their fate today as they face the screening panel to determine their suitability or otherwise for the contest.

The exercise is scheduled to take place at the alternate national secretariat of the party known as Legacy House, located in Maitama, Abuja.

All the aspirants who paid N40 million for the expression of interest and nomination forms of the party are males, except one, who paid just N5 million in a move designed by the party leadership to encourage the participation of women.

The aspirants are Teriela Oliver Diana, the only woman in the race; former vice president, Atiku Abubakar; former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi; Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi) and Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto); former president of the Senate, Bukola Saraki and former Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim.

Others in the race are former Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose; former FSB Managing Director, Muhammed HayatuDeen; United States-based medical doctor, Nwachukwu Anakwenze; media mogul, Dele Momodu; a pharmacist, Sam Ohuabunwa; former Speaker of Abia House of Assembly, Cosmos Ndukwe and Charles Ugwu and Honourable Chikwendu Kalu.

The aspirants have since intensified their efforts to secure the support of party stakeholders, particularly voting delegates in the impending national convention.

All the aspirants will now hope to scale the screening hurdle and head to the primaries at a date yet to be scheduled by the party.

The outcome of the screening is expected to be presented to the NWC for further action.

The governorship aspirants under the party have already been screened at the zonal levels with the outcomes being expected to be disclosed soon by the NWC of the party.

Meanwhile, the PDP has raked in a total of N649 million for the sale of form for the presidential ticket alone.