A group in the South West People’s Democratic Party (PDP) led by former Ekiti State Governor, Peter Ayodele Fayose has rejected the choice of Senator Dino Melaye as chairman of the Congress Screening Committee.

The group insisted on Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, earlier agreed upon by both parties, saying “the sudden emergence of Senator Dino Melaye has sent a wrong signal to the exercise.

A joint statement by Fayose, PDP governorship candidates in Osun and Ogun States, Senator Ademola Adeleke and Hon Ladi Adebutu respectively as well as the immediate past zonal chairman and aspirant in the next Monday Congress, Dr Eddy Olafeso, said: “What the party told us was that Senator Abaribe will be chairman of the screening committee.

“To us, this sudden use of Senator Dino Melaye is suspicious and we will not accept it.

“If Senator Abaribe is not available, there should be someone acceptable to the two parties to replace him, not Dino Melaye.

“Therefore, for equity, fairness and transparency, we call on the National Working Committee to replace Senator Dino Melaye with someone that is acceptable to both contending parties as Chairman of the Screening Committee.”