PDP Candidates Face Screening Today

 
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has directed all national chairmanship aspirants that collected forms for election at the national convention to come for screening Friday.

They are to appear before the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha-led Screening Committee.

By the directive, it looks like the party has dumped the emergent of some of the consensus candidates for the national convention.

Meanwhile, a mild drama at the Wadata House, the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja, as some women protested the party’s non-compliance with the 35 per cent affirmative action for women in the party’s National Convention on Saturday.

Specifically, the protesters were demanding that PDP should allow only women contestants to vie for at least 35 per cent of the offices in the party’s national leadership.

According to the protest letter obtained by THISDAY, protesters stated that PDP breached its constitutional provision by not allowing only women to contest at least 35 per cent of the available positions in its national leadership.

“The People’s Democratic Party, Africa’s largest party, commendably blazed the trail with a provision in its 2011 Constitution as amended in section 1(6)(7)  that, ‘in nomination for party offices, not less than 35 per cent shall be reserved for women.” she said.

The upcoming national convention of the PDP provides the ruling party with an opportunity to demonstrate exemplary commitment to its own constitutional affirmation.”

Constitutional Lawyer, Dame Carol Ajie, who was part of the demonstration, observed that for Nigeria to take its pride of place in comity of nations, potentials of women must be fully realised.

She stated that the meritorious performances of many women who had been entrusted with leadership position in the past was enough to confirm that barrier in gender roles should be eliminated.