The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has commenced screening of five aspirants that picked nomination forms for the August 16th by-election to fill vacant seats in the National Assembly.

Vacant seats in Edo are the Edo Central senatorial seat vacated by Governor Monday Okpebholo and the Ovia Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives.

Aspirants that picked forms for the Edo Central seat are John Yakubu, Friday Itulah, Joseph Okojie and Festus Edogun. 

Only one aspirant, Johnny Ikponmwosa Aikpitanyi, picked the form for Ovia Federal Constituency.

Edo PDP Caretaker Committee Chairman, Dr. Anthony Aziegbemi, assured the aspirants the process would be fair and credible.

Aziegbemi urged PDP members and Edo people to disregard the gimmicks and theatrics those posing as PDP Caretaker Committee members in Edo State.

According to him: “The national headquarters of the PDP is the body statutorily mandated to conduct congresses and primaries for selecting candidates for the party. The PDP national has sent a five-man team from Abuja to conduct the screening of aspirants for the Edo Central Senatorial District and Ovia Federal Constituency by-elections. 

“We just had a meeting with them at the conference room of our party secretariat and we believe that this goes to show to our party members and indeed Edo people that we are the duly recognised Caretaker Committee handling the affairs of the PDP in Edo State. Even the man that bought his form in Abuja is here with us for the screening.

“It is why you are seeing the team sent by the PDP national in Abuja here and not anywhere else. This puts to rest the doubts anybody would have about the authentic Caretaker Committee in Edo State.”

The aspirants who spoke in turns expressed optimism that the primary would be free and fair.

 Edogun said he remained the rallying point for Edo Central.

Yakubu commended the Screening Committee for conducting a fair and transparent process even as Okojie expressed confidence that the party would emerge victorious at the polls.