The All Progressives Congress, APC, has released the screening results for aspirants seeking to contest the 2027 Rivers State House of Assembly primaries, with several politicians linked to Governor Siminalayi Fubara failing to make the final list.
The screening outcome, issued by the party’s national secretariat, showed that more than 60 aspirants were disqualified across different state constituencies in Rivers.
Many of those affected are believed to belong to Fubara’s political camp amid the prolonged power struggle rocking the state.
The development is the latest twist in the growing battle for political control in Rivers ahead of the 2027 elections.
Among the aspirants not cleared by the APC are Berebupakabo Isaac Sekibo, Tamunodiepriye Fubara Goodluck Ohaka, Tonye Garrick Tom-George, Prince Emukighro Fubara and Tamunobaraiba George.
The affected aspirants cut across several local government areas and constituencies, including Okrika, Khana, Omuma, Ahoada East, Obio/Akpor, Ikwerre, Andoni and Akuku-Toru.
Party insiders said the screening exercise triggered tension within the APC structure in Rivers, especially among politicians aligned with the suspended governor. Some members of the party are reportedly unhappy with the outcome, describing it as a move targeted at weakening Fubara’s influence within the APC ahead of the primaries.
Despite the mass disqualifications, the party cleared 33 aspirants to participate in the assembly primaries.
Several of those cleared are widely seen as loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who remains a dominant figure in Rivers politics despite his fallout with Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Those cleared by the screening panel include Maol Dumle, Tonye Smart Adoki, Kenneth Minimah, Justina Aniton Okorji and Arnold O. Davids.