The All Progressives Congress (APC) has officially disqualified 63 aspirants from the Rivers State House of Assembly race. The party cleared only 33 candidates for the upcoming primaries ahead of the 2027 elections.
Reports indicate a sharp political divide in the results. Most of those disqualified are supporters of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Meanwhile, the successful candidates are known loyalists of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
Out of the 33 cleared candidates, 16 are sitting members of the House of Assembly. This lopsided outcome follows months of friction between the Governor and his predecessor over the control of the Rivers State political structure.
Prominent Fubara allies who failed the screening include Victor Oko-Jumbo, a former factional Speaker, and Chijioke Ihunwo, the former Obio/Akpor local government chairman.
Financial Defaults and Ethical Lapses Lead to Purge
The screening committee report, signed by Chairman Muraina Ajibola, detailed several reasons for the mass disqualification. Most aspirants allegedly violated Article 9.3 of the APC Constitution.
This specific rule requires that candidates be nominated by financially up-to-date party members. The committee found that many nominators had not paid their dues.
“Inducement and attempted bribery of Committee members” was also cited as a reason for disqualification in the official report.
Furthermore, some aspirants submitted unsworn affidavits or failed to present valid voter’s cards. Others showed conflicting dates of birth and irregular membership numbers for their nominators.
Administrative Failures and Missing Credentials
The committee also identified invalid court affidavits. These documents failed to disclose critical details regarding NECO certificates and other educational qualifications.
Meanwhile, some files showed inconsistencies in names across different documents. Several aspirants reportedly lacked the required three nominators per ward, failing to meet the minimum threshold for valid entry.
The report has been sent to the APC National Chairman. It serves as a definitive list for the party primaries, which will shape the legislative landscape for the 2027 general elections.
The ongoing crisis in Rivers State means the political impasse is not nearing its end.
These disqualifications effectively sideline the Governor’s camp within the party’s internal framework.
It is unclear what options the governor will be pursuing in his attempt to regain political control of the state and return himself to office in 2027.
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