Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje has said that the National Working Committee (NWC) has concluded arrangements to screen Aspirants for elections in the various Party Offices ahead of the forth-coming National Convention slated for March 24.
He stated this today in Abuja, maintaining that the screening is 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 NWC to be release soon. He said that a list of the Screened Aspirants will be released three days to the National Convention. The Screening will take place about a week to the National Convention.
According to the National Chairman, the Party will adhere strictly to due process in the processes before and during the National Convention, adding that it is 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.
Other conditions that must be noted by the Aspirants include:
· They must be Card-Carrying Members as well as Financial Members;
· They must have proven integrity;
· They must have reasonable and proven experience;
· Those presently holding any position within or outside the Party must follow the necessary procedures to allow them vie for Party Offices at the National Convention;
· Strict emphasis will be placed on the position of the Party guiding the
acceptable behavior of Aspirants or Candidates for elective positions; 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 them to forward their complaints to Appeal Panel Committees set up for that purpose, noting that the Party will not entertain petitions that are 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.
