PDP CONVENTION: WHY WE WANT TO SCREEN ASPIRANTS -BARAJE

Acting National Chairman of the Peoples  Democratic Party (PDP), Abubakar Kawu Baraje has said the National Working Committee (NWC) has concluded arrangements to screen aspirants for elections in the various party offices ahead of the national convention slated for March 24, 2012.

He stated this yesterday in Abuja, maintaining that the screening was in line with the principle of due process laid down by the party's constitution. To this end, a screening committee has been constituted by the National Working Committee to be released soon.

He said a list of the screened aspirants would be released three days to the national convention. The Screening will take place about a week to the convention.

According to the national chairman, the party would adhere strictly to due process before and during the national convention, adding that it was in the best interest of the respective aspirants to familiarize themselves with the rules governing the conduct of the exercise.

'This is a Due-process National Working Committee headed by my humble self.

'By now, our party members know who I am as far as complying with rules and regulations is concerned. They also know that this NWC will not accept anything less than the rules and regulations guiding the conduct of our elections into party offices. We have been displaying the rules at the venues of the various congresses conducted so far across the nation. This is why we have had very little complaints, perhaps the first time in the history of the party,' he said.

He further declared that aspirants must be card-carrying members as well as financial members of the party, of proven integrity and  must have reasonable and proven experience.

'Those presently holding any position within or outside the party must also  follow the necessary procedures to allow them vie forparty offices at the national convention and the true identities of the aspirants will be ascertained by the Screening Committee, including their antecedents.'

The national chairman also spoke on petitions emanating from aggrieved persons over the just concluded ward and local government congresses.

He advised those, who were aggrieved to forward their complaints to the Appeal Panel Committees set up for that purpose, noting that the party would not entertain petitions not routed through the established channel of communication.

'We accept only petitions that follow due process. Those not received by the Appeal Panel Committees will not be given attention in Abuja. This is what we mean by due process,' he said.