AKALA, OLURIN, OYELESE, OTHERS SCALE PDP SCREENING

Akala
Two leading governorship aspirants from the two factions in the Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Gboyega Nasir Isiaka (GNI) and former Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) Commandant, Adetunji Olurin were among the gubernatorial aspirants cleared yesterday by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Screening Committee for the South-West geo-political Zone. l.

The state governor, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, former Deputy Governor, Lagos State, Mr. Femi Pedro and former Minster of Housing, Senator Wahab Dosunmu also scaled the hurdle.

Other aspirants who were screened were: Former Minister for Special Duties, Elder Wole Oyelese Alhaji Yekinni Adeojo and Alhaji Azeem Gbolarumi, all from Oyo State and Dr. Isiaq Salako with Dr. Femi Majekodunmi and Hon. Leye Odunjo from Ogun. They were among the 29 aspirants from Lagos, Oyo and Ogun States screened by the National Committee headed by Senator Florence Ita-Giwa which held at the Presidential Lodge, Abeokuta.

Ogun State tops the list of governorship aspirants with 18, with Oyo and Lagos having four and seven aspirants respectively. Addressing journalists after the exercise, Ita-Giwa said the aspirants were found worthy after a rigorous screening session adding that her committee worked all night to ensure it met the stipulated time.

However, Ita-Giwa said two of the apsirants from Ogun, Mr. Biodun Akinlade and Mrs. Temidayo Oriola had not shown up as at press time. Her words: ''We carried out a very transparent, peaceful and successful exercise. There was no witch-hunting of any sort. We were equally not interested in the geo-political problems,' she stated.

The Committee chairman who said a provincial certificate were issued to the screened aspirants added that a report on all the screened aspirants would be forwarded it to the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.