2012 Bayelsa Guber Polls: Why We’ve Not Cleared Slyva -Baraje

Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party told journalists in Abuja on Thursday that the embattled Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva has not been cleared to take part in the party’s gubernatorial primaries because complaints lodged against him by some members are still being investigated.

He said the party will take a final decision on the issue after the investigations.

“Some of these complaints cannot be overlooked, so we contacted people in order to establish the genuineness of these complaints. As I am talking to you, we are still awaiting feedback from our sources and we will treat every case strictly on merit,” said Baraje.

He added that the party has not taken a decision to completely exclude Slyvia from gubernatorial race.

The PDP National Chairman told journalists that the party is still going through a normal screening process and examining complaints by all the candidates who had indicated interest in running for the 2012 gubernatorial election on the platform of PDP.

He added that 11 persons picked up the forms for the Bayelsa 2012 governorship elections coming up in January and that due process will be followed in clearing each of them.

Apart from Slva, other high profile candidates that have been refused clearance by the Gubernatorial Appeals Committee which considered the report of the Screening Committee are: Timi Alaibe former Presidential Adviser on Niger Delta and Ben Murray Bruce, former Managing Director of the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA.

The PDP National Chairman however failed to specify the nature of the complaints or who made them against Slva.

Baraje said the party will ensure that it presents electable candidates for the election.

A national newspaper had reported today that PDP was investigating alleged threats made against Bayelsa-born President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife by Slyva.

The PDP in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Professor Rufai Alkali yesterday listed four candidates cleared for the primaries so far as Oruta Justine Boloubo, Henry Seriake Dickson, Enai Christopher Fullpower, and Kalango Michael Youppele.

But Slyva has insisted that he remains a candidate on the platform of PDP for the election.