By Suoyo Ekubo
The Chairman of the screening committee for the Peoples Democratic Party governorship aspirants in the South-South, Douye Diri, has charged those eyeing the number one positions in their states to work for the party to return to power at the centre come 2023.
Diri, who is also the Bayelsa State Governor, gave the charge in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, while addressing governorship aspirants in four states in the South-South region where elections would be holding next year.
He assured the aspirants from Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Delta and Cross River that there will be no favouritism in the screening exercise, saying the committee will treat all aspirants equally.
“As you know, this screening is not to witch-hunt anybody. We will strictly abide by the party’s constitution and the guidelines set out for this screening.
“Therefore, we thought it was expedient to invite you, to also interact with you and to assure you that we are here as your brothers, as your colleagues and your friends.
“And that we will not do anything untoward towards you. And that everybody who has applied and the party has so forwarded your name will be screened.
“What is at stake you all know and we all know. It’s so much that we are all desirous of our party once again coming back on top as the party that will deliver this country from the current flood that we have in Nigeria.
“And as governorship aspirants, you are indeed the light as you come to join me and other governors to deliver Nigeria to what we know about Nigeria that we all will be proud to say I am a citizen of Nigeria,” Governor Diri stated.
Meanwhile, a governorship aspirant from Akwa Ibom State, Unoh Enoh, said with the screening over, he was putting his eyes on how to win the party’s ticket next month.
“The process was okay. They just verified our originals that we submitted. The process was simple and smooth.