The All Progressives Congress (APC) screening committee for the Rivers State House of Assembly primaries has reportedly disqualified 63 aspirants ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to a report by Leadership News on Monday, May 11, 2026, a large number of the affected aspirants are believed to be political allies of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara. In contrast, about 33 aspirants who were successfully cleared for participation in the primaries are said to be supporters of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The screening outcome also affected some notable political figures. Among those who did not scale through the process are Victor Oko-Jumbo, a former factional Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, as well as Chijioke Ihunwo, a former chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
The screening committee explained that the disqualification of several aspirants was based on their failure to satisfy key provisions outlined in the APC constitution and internal guidelines governing candidacy eligibility.
One of the major issues raised was that some of the nominations were submitted by individuals who were not financially up to date with their party obligations, making them ineligible for consideration.
In addition, the committee identified other reasons for disqualification, including failure to present valid voter identification cards, absence of official party membership records, discrepancies in personal data submitted, and incomplete or improperly filed affidavits.
The report further highlighted irregularities in membership documentation, inadequate number of valid nominators supporting certain aspirants, and allegations of attempted inducement of committee members as part of the concerns that influenced the screening decisions.
Out of the 33 aspirants who successfully passed the screening exercise and were cleared to contest in the party primaries, 16 are currently serving members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The development has further intensified political discussions within Rivers State, especially regarding internal party alignment and the influence of key political figures ahead of the 2027 election cycle.
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