Wali panel clears Jonathan, Atiku – IBB emerges as delegate – Daily Trust

The stage was set yesterday for a titanic battle at the Peoples Democratic Party’s national convention in Abuja tomorrow when the ruling party’s Presidential Screening Panel led by Ambassador Aminu Wali cleared both President Goodluck Jonathan and his main challenger, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to contest for the presidential ticket. Mrs Sarah Jibril, who appeared before the screening panel alongside the two men, was also cleared to contest.

Briefing newsmen last night, Wali said all the three aspirants that appeared before the committee were cleared having been satisfied with their performance and having met the requirements set out in the guidelines approved for the exercise by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).

The former Permanent Representative to the United Nations, who displayed the certificates of clearance issued to the three presidential aspirants, said they would receive their certificates late last night. While describing the exercise as enjoyable and historic, he wished the aspirants good luck and success at the National Convention.

On the case of the last presidential aspirant Alhaji Aminu Dutsinma who decided not to appear before the panel, Wali said there was nothing they could do since he had made a written presentation to the PDP National Chairman Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo on why he was not prepared to face the screening panel.