The PDP in Ekiti State on Tuesday announced that it had dropped 20 of its governorship aspirants. Twenty-nine aspirants were jostling to contest for the coveted seat next year.
It explained in a statement by Mr Femi Omolusi, Special Assistant on Media to the Chairman, that the move was to bring about decorum in next year’s governorship election.
The statement said the decision was arrived at during the meeting of the State Executive Committee of the party in Ado-Ekiti.
It stressed that only aspirants “verified to be above board and strong enough to defeat incumbent Gov. Kayode Fayemi in 2014 sailed through.”
The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that the party did not unveil those screened out or those who were successful but promised to do so next week.
“During the SEC meeting, nine aspirants were certified to have good records, sound education, integrity and ability to win an election in the state,” the statement said.
The statement advised the nine aspirants not to rejoice yet as the State Working Committee would continuously review the process.
On consensus candidacy, the statement stated that it was only the national secretariat of the party that had the final say on who eventually becomes the standard bearer.
“PDP in Ekiti needs an election winner, a grassroots politician, somebody who is well respected and one who has the mental capability to govern,” it said.