PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo on Friday avoided comment on a public indication of interest by party colleague, Moses Nagamootoo, to run for President in the 2006 general elections.

He smilingly told reporters he preferred to "go along" with a People's Progressive Party (PPP) statement, which had said Nagamootoo's declaration last month was not intended as a challenge.

But Mr. Jagdeo sought to clear the air on statements he said were being deliberately or otherwise peddled that the decision for him to be the party's presidential candidate was "taken behind closed doors."

At a press conference at the Presidential Secretariat in Georgetown Friday afternoon, the President said several names were discussed on who should be the party's top candidates for the 1997 general elections. He recalled that Nagamootoo was part of the debate and even "supported my candidature" for the presidency, should "anything go wrong" with then presidential nominee, Mrs. Janet Jagan.

President Jagdeo said after that decision was taken at the PPP's Executive Committee level, it was thrown out to, and supported, by the party's membership at several regional conferences. It was subsequently put to the electorate.

"So there was no secrecy about it...Somehow it gets out that this thing was done in a little closed circle and (mine) was the only name that came up.

"I've deliberately ignored this...you would never find me trying to settle internal party matters in the public," he told reporters.

President Jagdeo stressed that the PPP has a process for selecting its presidential candidates and everyone has an entitlement to run.

"When that process is reopened, they have a right. Whether they would succeed is a different matter," he said

Nagamootoo, Attorney-at-Law and former Information Minister, last month told 'Eye on the Issues' television programme host, Yesu Persaud, that he was available to his party and country for the 2006 elections.

The PPP subsequently issued a statement saying that Nagamootoo, a Central and Executive Committee member, is aware that there has been no change to the party's "well-established internal mechanism for nomination and selection."

It also said Nagamootoo's comments were being exploited to suggest that there are divisions in the party and its leadership with regard to "unity of the party's leadership; support for the presidency and the Government's economic and social programmes; internal governance mechanisms and the direction of the Government-PNC/R 'Constructive Engagement'."