85 PDP Aspirants Jostle For 24 State Assembly Seats In Enugu

No fewer than 85 PDP aspirants have been screened to contest the 24 seats at
the Enugu StateHouse of Assembly in 2015.
The Chairman of the Screening Committee and former Minister of Sports, Mr
Bala Kaoje, disclosed this in Enugu while addressing newsmen on the outcome
of the screening on Friday.
Kaoje, who adjudged the exercise as successful, commended the aspirants for
their good conduct and orderliness.
"So far, so good. You can see the faces of all the aspirants that have come here
to be screened. They are happy with the way we have done it.
“We did not take too long to check and access their documents.
“Many of them seem to know what they are doing. They all look very
experienced politicians and they have provided the answers as requested.
"They made our work very easy; we did not have any problem with any
aspirant.
"So far, we have screened about 85 people and we still have some more to
screen”, he said.
The former minister, who declined comment on the reason for the N150,000
screening fee paid by each aspirant, said "I cannot talk about what I do not
know.
He said the committee was able to bring the two PDP factions in the state
together during the screening.
Kaoje said, "Well, that was by the grace of God because if you put God first, you
will always succeed.
"I was in touch with the two leaders, Gov. Sullivan Chime and Sen. Ike
Ekweremadu in Abuja and I was able to get them go into talking terms with the
National Chairman.
“This is a view to sorting out the problem.
"Both of them are my very close friends, so I didn’t know which way to go, so I
was a little bit worried".
According to Kaoje, the National Chairman summoned them and they agreed
with one another that they should begin to reconcile among themselves.
"On the basis of that reconciliation, I was given the information to move to the
party secretariat to conduct the screening.
"When they agreed, I advised both of them to speak to their men in Enugu, so
that when they hear from them, they will cooperate with me.
"They contacted their men and that was why we moved down here and had a
good screening under a very wonderful atmosphere.
"I am working with the two chairmen and cannot say who the authentic
chairman is. It is for the National body of the party to decide that,’’ he said.
The two factional chairmen of the party - Chief Ikeje Asogwa and Mr David Ajah
- the exercise was peaceful”.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that as at 12.30 p.m, the exercise
was still ongoing at the PDP secretariat in Enugu. (NAN)