In politics, numbers can speak louder than words. When Rivers State’s APC published its screening results this week, the numbers said something very direct: 65 disqualified, 33 cleared — and of those 65 who didn’t make it through, every single one was reportedly aligned with Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The Outcome of the Exercise
The APC screening committee wrapped up work on May 10, 2026. When it was done, 29 incumbent lawmakers loyal to the Wike camp had all been cleared. The deputy speaker and his colleagues were through. But anyone connected to Fubara’s political structure had, according to party insiders, been stopped at the door.
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The party gave official reasons — wrong documentation, non-financial nominators, affidavit problems. Critics say those reasons, whether genuine or not, were applied very selectively.
The Governor’s Absence
Fubara himself did not attend the APC governors’ screening. He was one of three governors excused, the APC’s national chairman said. But the circumstances surrounding his absence — the political war with Wike, the disqualification of his allies — made it a very loud absence.
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What Political Observers Are Saying
A political analyst based in Port Harcourt put it plainly: the battle for Rivers State has always really been about who controls the political machinery. Until that question is answered for good, these confrontations will keep happening.
The primaries are a few days away. The fight for Rivers is far from over.
