Rivers APC disqualifies 65 aspirants and clears 33 ahead of 2027 primaries, deepening political tensions between rival factions
The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has released its screening results ahead of the party’s 2027 general election primaries, clearing 33 aspirants while disqualifying 65 others in a move that has intensified internal political tensions.
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Aspirants disqualified list has drawn significant attention, particularly as all 32 aspirants believed to be aligned with Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s political camp were excluded from the primaries.
In contrast, several incumbent members of the Rivers State House of Assembly perceived to be loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, were cleared to contest.
The party’s State Publicity Secretary, Chibike Ikenga, confirmed the development in a statement, urging affected aspirants to verify their status at the party secretariat along Aba Road in Port Harcourt.
Ikenga also announced that an appeal session has been scheduled for Tuesday, May 12, at 10 a.m., allowing disqualified aspirants to challenge the screening outcome.
According to the screening committee, the Rivers APC aspirants disqualified were excluded for multiple infractions, including failure to meet financial obligations, alleged inducement attempts, and submission of incomplete or invalid documentation.
Other reasons cited include irregular party membership records, conflicting personal data, lack of required voter identification, and insufficient valid nominators across wards.
The committee further noted issues involving unsworn affidavits and discrepancies in academic documentation, including NECO certificates.
The development has deepened existing factional divisions within the Rivers APC, as the list is widely interpreted as reflecting ongoing political rivalry between key power blocs within the state.
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Party officials insist the screening process followed constitutional guidelines, but the outcome is expected to trigger further political manoeuvring ahead of the 2027 elections.
