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Aspirants in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Kogi state, seeking various elective positions in the next general election have lamented the high rate of irregularities in the screening exercise.
Specifically, they said information about the screening exercise are not made freely available to aspirants.
One of the aspirants, Buhari Omolori Sani, vying for the position of House of Representatives, to represent OkeneMagong-Magongo Federal Constituency of Kogi state in the National Assembly, in an open letter to Abdulrahman Mohammed, called for transparency, fairness, and respect for internal democracy.
Omolori in the letter, dated May 17, 2026, said the national leadership of the party should urgently address these concerns, clarify the situation surrounding the circulating candidate list and officially release the screening results.
He said in the letter, “As of today, May 17, 2026, by 6:15 AM, the official screening results for aspirants have still not been released to the public, despite repeated assurances from party officials. On Friday, the State Party Chairman, Hon. Sani Gambo, informed me that the screening results would be released that same Friday. Later, the timeline shifted to Saturday. Yet today, the results remain unpublished. Surprisingly, while no official screening outcome has been communicated and the primaries themselves have not been conducted, a list of candidates is already circulating online.
“This development has naturally created confusion, tension, and widespread suspicion among aspirants, party supporters, and observers. Many aspirants who purchased nomination forms, fulfilled all party requirements, and successfully underwent screening are reportedly absent from the list currently making rounds online. If this information eventually proves accurate, it would amount to a serious affront to internal democracy and a dangerous signal about the future of fairness within our party.
“Even more disturbing are reports that at least one aspirant was allegedly denied access to purchase nomination forms altogether. If true, this represents a direct violation of the principles of equal participation and fairness upon which democracy stands. Every qualified party member should have an equal opportunity to contest and contribute to the democratic process without obstruction, discrimination, or manipulation.
“My personal experience throughout this process has been equally troubling. I was not officially informed about the sudden change of screening venue from Abuja to Lokoja. It was only after I personally contacted the State Party Chairman that I became aware of the change. This lack of communication forced me into an emergency journey in an attempt to meet up with the screening exercise. Sadly, the rush and pressure associated with this unexpected development led to an accident along the road — an experience that could have been avoided entirely if proper information and coordination had been provided by the party.
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“Even more concerning is the question of due process. If the primaries are to be conducted today while screening results have not officially been released, then what happens to the mandatory 24-hour appeal window available to aspirants after screening? What also becomes of the 48-hour response period expected within the appeal process? These provisions exist to guarantee fairness, transparency, and equal opportunity for all participants. Ignoring or bypassing them would not only undermine the credibility of the exercise but would also create the impression that the outcome has been predetermined.
“Furthermore, with less than 24 hours to the scheduled primaries, there are still no clear modalities, guidelines, or official procedures communicated to aspirants or stakeholders. More troubling is the fact that even the State Party Chairman appears unaware of the operational details surrounding the exercise. At this critical stage, everyone seems to be operating in the dark, uncertain about the process, the rules, and what to expect. Such confusion and lack of coordination are unhealthy for any democratic institution and risk throwing the entire process into disrepute.
“This raises fundamental questions: What kind of democratic process are we building within our own party? What example are we setting for Nigerians who expect political parties to uphold transparency, orderliness, equal opportunity, and justice? Democracy cannot survive where uncertainty replaces due process, where communication is poor, and where aspirants begin to feel excluded even before the primaries are held.
“The PDP has historically positioned itself as a party built on inclusion, participation, and democratic principles. It is therefore painful to witness actions and irregularities capable of undermining those very ideals. Aspirants deserve clarity. Party members deserve transparency. Nigerians deserve to see a political system where rules are respected and processes are credible.
“I respectfully call on the national leadership of our great party to urgently address these concerns, clarify the situation surrounding the circulating candidate list, officially release the screening results, communicate the modalities for the primaries without further delay, and ensure that the entire process is conducted in a manner that is free, fair, transparent, and acceptable to all stakeholders”.
