As the Peoples Democratic Party holds primaries to elect its candidates in this month’s National Assembly elections, indications have emerged that both the Senate President, David Mark, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Dimeji Bankole, may be facing tough contest in their bid to return to the federal lawmaking chambers.
While Mark is up for a battle with his arch rival for political power in the Benue South Senatorial District, General Lawrence Onoja (retd.), Bankole has tough opponents in a former speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Mrs. Titi Shodunke-Oseni and others in the state.
The disqualification of Oseni and other aspirants against Bankole by the PDP screening committee on Sunday had caused an uproar, but the party’s appeal panel on Monday upturned the screening committee’s decision thus upping the scale for Bankole who would have been handed the ticket unchallenged.
The PDP had on December 30 and 31 screened aspirants for the elections. On Monday, it treated appeals by disqualified aspirants.
Members of the party contesting the primaries in Ogun State include the Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel; Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello; a daughter of the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Mrs. Lola Abiola-Edewor and a member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Kayode Amusan.
One of our correspondents gathered that nine aspirants would contest the senatorial primaries in the three districts in Akwa Ibom State.
For the Akwa Ibom North East constituency, Senator. Effiong Bob, a two term senator, is seeking the party’s ticket for re-election.
Bob is contesting against the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Rules and Business, Obong Ita Enang and Chief Ime Albert.
Enang is a three -term member representing Itu/Ibiono Ibom federal constituency in the House of Representatives, while Albert is a businessman.
In Akwa Ibom North West, three aspirants are challenging the incumbent, Senator Aloysius Etuk.
The aspirants are former deputy governor of the state, Obong Chris Ekpenyong; Prof. Ini Udoka; and a business tycoon, Obong Bassey Inuayen.
In Akwa Ibom South, a former Minister of Environment, Mrs. Helen Esuene, will contest against the incumbent, Senator. Eme Ufot Ekaette who is the wife of a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Investigations showed that nine persons would contest the PDP’s senatorial tickets in Edo State, while 25 aspirants would seek the party’s approval to contest the House of Representatives.
The wife of a former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, Daisy; a Chief of Staff to a former Governor Osaremen Osunbor, Mr. Isiah Osifo and a former Commissioner for Lands, Henry Idahagbon would contest the Edo South Senatorial District.
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ajanni
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