Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

The South South Zone of the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, governorship screening committee has cleared former minister of state, Nyesom Wike for the governorship election in Rivers State.

And in a move that shows a clear bias, the screening panel disqualified 16 aspirants who had protested against Wike hijacking of the party.

Among those affected are Prof Don  Baridam, Tonye Princewill,Becks Dagago Jack,Gabriel Pidomson,Dumo Lulu Briggs,Sampson Ngerighara,Nimi Walson Jack.

The aspirants had earlier protested to national headquarters of the party accusing Wike,a former Minister of State for Education for hijacking the party structure in the state.

Those not cleared  are alleged not to be members of PDP even when the party collected over 11million naira as expression of intent form from each of them.

The disqualification of the Aspirants keeps the coast clear for Wike for easy ride to become the Governorship candidate of the party as those cleared along with him will give him very feeble contest during the party primaries on December 2.

Princewill has confirmed his disqualification via a Facebook post. Accoding to him in his post:”Unconfirmed reports have it that the South South screening committee has obeyed Wike’s instruction and disqualified me from contesting for Governor of Rivers state under the platform of PDP.He said the reason given is that “I am not a PDP member.”me

He described the reason as madness. “I am not a PDP member after I raised hundreds of millions for the party, donated a multi million Naira media center to the national Headquarters and participated in all affairs of the party I was invited to? Not a member but you collected millions for a PDP form. If this decision is true, this marks a new low in our state’s politics. Will confirm for sure later today, but our sources are pretty reliable.”

He listed the options left for him which include:To Appeal,Quit politics altogether,Stay in the PDP even though they say I am not one of them or Go to another party (not APC) and run.He said while he ponders on these four options, he restated that his commitment to the Goodluck Jonathan re-election is still strong. PDP ticket or not.Princewill assured his loyalists that if they decide that he should not run, all previous contributions for his campaign will be returned in full to all the many who donated and they can count on that.

“The writing is on the wall. This is a sad day for internal democracy.What are they afraid of? I ask again; Is PDP in Rivers state not really working for APC?

The coordinator of Mainstream Coalition, Prof Israel Owate has ascribed the disqualification of the Aspirants to the manipulations of Wike who is desperate to be Governor and take over from Governor Amaechi,another Ikwerre.

Beckinbo Dagogo Jack has vowed to appeal against his disqualification to the national headquarters of the party.