Lafia — A top official of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the request by Senate President David Mark for automatic tickets for his colleagues, saying such should be based on individual performances of the senators.

Speaking with newsmen at the weekend in Lafia, the National Vice Chairman, North Central of the party, Alhaji Yusuf Ayitogo said the party would stand by its earlier directive on the matter. The Senate President had appealed for automatic tickets for the PDP senators to enable them consolidate their performances.

However, Ayitogo said the decision of the National Working Committee on automatic tickets was aimed at championing the cause of internal democracy, noting that the decision cannot be rescinded.

"Their internal relationship with their constituency and performance will give them automatic tickets, not the party; you do not expect a senator who has failed in his constituency to be given an automatic ticket," he said.

"No party organ will endorse anybody in respect of the 2011 election; it is their constitutional right to re-contest if they have performed well as adjudged by the people. Their performances will be the bench mark for re-election," he added. He noted that the party would soon embark on an inspection tour of all the states within the zone to assess the performances of the governors, adding. "this assessment will be done annually in order to ensure that the PDP governors deliver on their campaign promises to the people'"