PDP Rejects Presidential Aspirants After Collecting their N24m

Dr. Abdul-Jhalil Tafawa-Balewa

The Peoples Democratic Party had turned back two presidential aspirants who were at its national headquarters in Abuja to pick their presidential nomination forms on Tuesday.

The aspirants are Dr. Abdul-Jhalil Tafawa-Balewa and Prof. Akasoba Duke-Abiola.

First to arrive was Tafawa-Balewa, who hails from Bauchi State, and the son of Nigeria’s First Republic Prime Minister, Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa.

All the caucuses of the party, including the National Executive Council, had endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan as its sole presidential candidate, foreclosing the possibility of any aspirants angling for the party’s ticket.

Tafawa-Balewa had on September 21 condemned the action, which he said was a plot by the leadership of the party to frustrate other presidential aspirants.

He insisted that he would not be intimidated by such a decision and vowed not to be cowed.