Political Tension Erupts: Siminalayi Fubara Reportedly Rejected At APC Screening

Sources close to the Rivers State governor, who spoke with Vanguard, denied reports suggesting that he was embarrassed or poorly treated during the screening exercise.

There had been rumours that Fubara left the session unhappy, but insiders who spoke anonymously explained that his brief appearance and early departure were part of the normal screening procedure.

According to the sources, the governor’s interaction with the panel was short and routine. They stated that after completing the process, he was simply asked to “take a bow and go,” which they described as a standard instruction often given to aspirants after screening.

Fubara reportedly spent less than 20 minutes before the committee and chose not to address journalists after leaving the venue.

So far, the APC has screened two governorship aspirants from Rivers State — Fubara and Kingsley Chinda.

APC Yet To Release Screening Report

The screening committee is expected to submit its report after concluding its assignment. Aspirants will then know their status and decide whether to challenge the outcome before the Screening Appeal Committee if necessary.

Reacting to enquiries, APC National Secretary Ajibola Basiru said the committee would release its findings once the entire exercise had been completed.

“I don’t know what you mean by screen. Anybody who appears before the screening committee, of course, is necessary as part of the process.

“After appearing before the screening committee, the committee will issue its report. Now that they have finished seeing all the aspirants, they will sit and prepare their report. At the moment, no report has been released,” he said.

Plateau Aspirant Commends APC Process

Meanwhile, Plateau State governorship aspirant Yilchini Jan Bida praised the exercise, describing it as evidence of the APC’s commitment to internal democracy.

According to Bida, the process was transparent and provided equal opportunity for every aspirant interested in serving their state.

“The process went smoothly. It shows that the APC believes in internal democracy and wants to create a level playing field for everyone who has something meaningful to offer,” he said.

He also expressed confidence in his chances at the primaries, pointing to what he described as strong grassroots support across Plateau State.