The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, began the screening of its 16 aspirants vying to be the party’s standard bearer in the June 21 Ekiti State Governorship Election.

The Senator Ndoma Egba- led Screening Committee conducted the exercise which involved 16 of the 17 aspirants at the National Secretariat of the party in Abuja.

Sunday Mirror gathered that one of the aspirants could not meet Thursday’s deadline for the submission of her nomination form which she said was due to fuel scarcity and turned up at the screening venue but the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Ndoma Egba, reportedly turned her back, saying the party mandated his Committee to screen only 16 aspirants.

According to findings, some of the documents screened were tax clearance certificates, educational qualifications, party membership cards, records of crime and other relevant documents.

It was gathered that some strong worded petitions were written against some of the aspirants bothering on alleged criminal and financial fraud which the Chairman of the Committee acknowledged and promised that all the petitions received would be treated on merit.

Addressing the aspirants before the exercise took off, Senator Ndoma Egba, assured them of transparency and declared that neither the Committee nor the party had any choice candidate.

Some of the aspirants sighted at the venue of the screening were former Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (rtd), former governor of the state, Ayo Fayose, Senator Gbenga Aluko, former Afenifere spokesman, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Chief Bisi Omoyeni, Prince Bounde Adeyanju, Hon. Adewale Aribisala, Ambassador Dare Bejide, Chief(Mrs.) Bola Oloyede, and Dr. Peter Obafemi, among others.

The screening exercise was still in progress as at press time.