The chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Bayelsa state governorship screening committee and governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has assured that the committee will be fair to all aspirants to ensure the party selects a credible candidate that would lead it to victory in the November 16 election.
Makinde gave the assurance in his opening speech at the commencement of the screening exercise at the PDP headquarters, Wadata Plaza in Abuja, Monday.
According to the governors, “We will be fair to all the aspirants. The PDP has no preferred candidate for the forthcoming governorship election in Bayelsa state.
“We don’t want a situation whereby our party will go into the election with a divided house. We want to go into the election as one big family that we are, with a view to retaining the state”.
He expressed the firm optimist that PDP will continue to remain a strong and united party, even after the primaries.
Speaking after the screening, the former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and governorship aspirant, Timi Alaibe, called on the delegates who will be electing the party’s candidate at the forthcoming primaries to think deeply in their decision to cast their votes for “those of us who are contesting.
“They (the delegates) should be clear in the decision to ensure that they vote for those whom they understand what they want to implement for our people. Those who have experience, those who have capacity”.
Alaibe promised to utilise government as an enabler for social reinvestment and for invitation of private sector participation to Bayelsa state if he becomes the next governor of the state.
Also, the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa state, who is also an aspirant, retired Rear Admiral John Jonah, expressed satisfaction with the calibre of members of the screening committee, saying that they would do a good job.
According to Jonah, “I have the confidence that they will deliver. I am sure of clinching the ticket”.
