There are indications that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would bar some of its presidential aspirants, who have graft cases from participating in the primary scheduled for October 5-6.

According to Daily Sun, some top shots in the PDP are strongly canvassing that anyone with graft case or any criminal charge should not be allowed to fly the PDP presidential flag in 2019.

A former member of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC), who declined to be named because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, reiterated the party is desirous of fielding a candidate without blemish in 2019.

“There are some of these aspirants who have cases with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and other anti-corruption agencies.

We want a presidential candidate from the PDP that will be as white as snow, so that the issue of blackmail and all of that will not arise.

“So, we should be looking at someone who has credibility, integrity and the rest of that because the APC government is out to run down anybody that has skeleton in its cupboards. We must try to avoid those pitfalls.”

Similarly, another leader of the PDP in Adamawa State, who also declined to be named, told Daily Sun that it is in the interest of the opposition party not to field any candidate with any encumbrances in 2019.
When contacted for his reaction, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the party will not choose its candidate on the basis of whether or not they have graft cases.

Ologbondiyan also said no member can canvass for the opposition party to drop aspirants with corruption cases, and that the party would be guided by the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as its rules in screening presidential aspirants.

•Excerpted from a Daily Sun report