There is confusion in Rivers State over the report of last weekend’s screening exercise for All Progressives Congress aspirants seeking to contest the State House of Assembly primaries.
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Reports had indicated that 65 out of the 98 aspirants who obtained the party’s nomination forms for the forthcoming primaries were disqualified.
Majority of those reportedly screened out were said to be loyalists of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, while allies of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, were cleared to participate in the primaries.
The report of the screening committee was said to have been signed by its chairman, Rt. Hon. Muraina Ajibola, and three other members.
The Publicity Secretary of the APC in Rivers State, Chubike Ikenga, had also circulated copies of the report.
However, shortly after the state leadership of the APC announced that the panel had submitted its report, the Secretary of the Screening Committee, Hon. Tanko Yamowa, disowned the purported list.
Yamowa described the circulating report as false and unauthorised, insisting that no official list had been released by the party.
According to him, the screening exercise conducted by the committee was concluded less than 24 hours earlier, and the party had not published any official list of cleared or uncleared aspirants.
“The attention of the party leadership has been drawn to the circulation of a purported list of cleared and uncleared aspirants for the Rivers State House of Assembly currently making rounds across various media platforms.
“We wish to categorically state that the said publication is false, unauthorized, and does not emanate from the appropriate party authorities,” he said.
Yamowa said the APC remained guided by established procedures, rules and timelines in the release of screening results and other related information.
He added that any official communication on the status of aspirants would be made through the appropriate channels in due course.
“We therefore urge party faithful, aspirants, supporters, and the general public to disregard the purported list and treat it as the handiwork of mischief makers whose intention is to create confusion and unnecessary tension within the party.
“The party remains committed to transparency, fairness, and due process throughout the entire exercise,” he said.
But Ikenga dismissed Yamowa’s position, maintaining that the report was authentic and that aspirants who were not cleared had the opportunity to approach the appeal panel.
He accused Yamowa of spreading falsehood, insisting that the report had already been released.
“That is fake news; the report is out. If you read our statement, we said tomorrow is the day they can make the appeal to the appeal committee. They can approach the appeal committee tomorrow from the national to the state secretariat of the party to challenge their disqualification,” Ikenga said.
According to him, any aspirant seeking to challenge the decision of the screening panel must write to the state secretary of the party, indicating interest to appeal the non-clearance.
“The correspondence has to go to the state secretary of the party, indicating their interest to appeal their lack of clearance or whatever it is,” he added.
The controversy comes amid the deepening political rift between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, which has continued to shape political developments in Rivers State ahead of the 2027 elections.
Wike and his political bloc are reportedly working to unseat Fubara, while the governor’s allies are said to be struggling for control of the APC structure in the state.
The latest disagreement over the screening report has further heightened tension within the party, especially after claims that Wike’s loyalists were cleared while Fubara’s supporters were largely screened out.
Meanwhile, opposition parties in Rivers State, including the ADC and NDC, are said to be watching the crisis closely and positioning themselves to take advantage of the division within the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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