APC Clares 33 as 65 Assembly Hopefuls Fail Screening
By Ranti Thomas
The battle for control of Rivers politics has taken a new twist after the All Progressives Congress cleared only 33 aspirants for the State House of Assembly primaries while disqualifying 65 others.
The screening outcome is already being seen as a major victory for allies of former Rivers governor and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, whose loyalists dominated the final list of cleared candidates.
Among those cleared were all 29 serving lawmakers aligned with Wike, including Deputy Speaker Dumle Maol and other prominent members of the Rivers Assembly faction loyal to the minister.
On the other side, several aspirants believed to be connected to Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s political camp reportedly failed the screening exercise, deepening the ongoing power struggle inside the state.
Party insiders say the exercise has effectively reshaped the early political battlefield ahead of the 2027 elections, especially with the Assembly remaining one of the key centres of the Rivers political crisis.
The screening committee explained that many of the affected aspirants were disqualified over issues ranging from incomplete documentation and invalid party records to conflicting personal details and failure to meet nomination requirements.
Some aspirants were also reportedly disqualified over allegations involving irregular affidavits, invalid nominators, and failure to provide proper voter or membership documents.
The development has already sparked fresh political tension across Rivers State, with supporters of different camps accusing each other of attempting to hijack the party structure before the primaries.
Observers believe the outcome further strengthens Wike’s influence within the APC in Rivers at a time when the rivalry between his camp and Governor Fubara continues to shape the state’s political direction.
The screening report was submitted after a two-day exercise held in Port Harcourt, with party officials insisting the process was transparent and based strictly on APC guidelines.
As reactions continue to spread across the state, attention is now turning to whether the disqualified aspirants will challenge the outcome or quietly step aside ahead of the primaries.