Rivers APC Denies Bias In Screening Of Assembly Aspirants

The All Progressives Congress in Rivers State has dismissed allegations that House of Assembly aspirants loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, were favoured during the party’s screening exercise, while those believed to be loyal to Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara were denied clearance.

Speaking with journalists at the APC State Secretariat in Port Harcourt, the party’s Publicity Secretary, Chibuike Ikenga, described the reports as misleading and unfair, insisting that Wike is not a member of the APC and has no involvement in the screening process.

Ikenga stated that although Wike had openly declared support for the re-election of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, linking him to the outcome of the screening exercise was inappropriate and unfounded.

According to him, the screening exercise was conducted peacefully and transparently, with the committee’s report showing that 33 aspirants were cleared, while 65 were not cleared.

He further explained that the party constituted an appeal committee to review petitions from aggrieved aspirants, adding that the exercise had continued smoothly without disruption.

Chairman of the Appeal Committee, Abdul Mahmud, said the committee received a comprehensive report containing the names of all aspirants who were cleared and those who were not cleared during the screening exercise.

Mahmud disclosed that a total of 98 aspirants participated in the exercise, out of which 33 were cleared while 65 were not cleared.

He stated that the committee had been receiving and treating petitions from affected aspirants and would conclude its sitting on May 13, 2026.

According to him, some aspirants who failed to submit certain documents during the screening process had been granted the opportunity to provide them before the close of the appeal exercise.

Mahmud noted that the committee placed greater importance on documentary evidence than oral submissions, stressing that the process was strictly guided by the documents presented before the panel.

One of the aspirants for Andoni Constituency, Gogo Friday, faulted the party for failing to officially communicate the reasons for his non-clearance despite purchasing nomination forms and participating in the screening exercise.

He revealed that the committee informed him that some of the individuals who nominated him had not paid their party dues, while discrepancies in the names appearing on some of his documents were also raised during the screening process — a development that allegedly affected his clearance.

Another aspirant, Atuzie Collins, who is contesting for Obio/Akpor Constituency II, said he was initially not cleared over a spelling discrepancy on his voter’s card.

Collins stated that he had since sworn an affidavit to address the error, arguing that the discrepancy was not sufficient grounds for disqualification.