Facts have emerged on the two presidential aspirants for the 2023 election disqualified by the Presidential Screening Committee of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Chairman of the committee, Sen. David Mark, announced the disqualification after the committee concluded its screening of the party’s 17 aspirants yesterday evening, Friday, April 29, 2023.
Senator Mark refused to disclose the identity of the disqualified candidates but News Express has been able to unmask the two failed aspirants following discreet investigations.
The two disqualified presidential aspirants are Cosmos Ndukwe and Chinwendu Kanu – both, incidentally, from Abia State. While Ndukwe is a former commissioner in Abia, Kanu is a one-time Speaker of the State House of Assembly.
A top-level PDP source described both men as “bogus aspirants” who did not meet up with the requirements for the position they were contesting for, leading to their disqualification and forfeiture of the N40 million each of them paid for the expression of interest and nomination forms.
The screening exercise focused on the verification of the 17 aspirants’ membership and financial status, academic credentials, and other requirements for a presidential candidate as spelled out in the PDP and Nigerian constitutions.
Those who scaled through the screening exercise include former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; former Senate Presidents, Bukola Saraki and Pius Anyim; former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi; Bauchi and Sokoto State Governors, Bala Mohammed and Aminu Tambuwal.
Others are Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike; OVATION Publisher, Dele Momodu; former banker, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen; pharmacist, Sam Ohabunwa, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Emmanuel Udom; and the only female presidential aspirant, Olivia Tariela.
Equally successfully screened are former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose; a lawyer, Charles Okwudili.