The Rivers State House of Assembly Screening Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has disqualified 56 aspirants from participating in the party’s forthcoming primary election.
The committee, chaired by Muraine Ajibola, cleared only 33 aspirants out of the 98 individuals screened during the exercise held between May 9 and 10.
In its report dated May 10, the committee stated that the affected aspirants failed to meet the requirements of the screening exercise.
The report was signed by Ajibola, the committee secretary, Ishake Yamawe, and another member, Danjuma Samuel.
All aspirants linked to the camps of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and former governorship candidate Tonye Cole were among those disqualified.
The development is expected to intensify political tensions within the Rivers APC ahead of the primaries.
Among notable members of Fubara’s camp who failed the screening are Chijoke Ihunwo, Victor Oko-Jumbo, and Sokari Goodboy.
According to the report, the committee said it adopted a transparent, orderly, and participatory procedure designed to ensure fairness to all aspirants, saying it screened all 98 aspirants who turned up.
It partly read, “The Screening Committee constituted by the National Working Committee of the Party respectfully submits its report on the screening exercise conducted for aspirants seeking nomination under the platform of the Party for election into the Rivers State House of Assembly for the 2027 General Elections.
“The Committee discharged its mandate with diligence, fairness, transparency, and fidelity to the democratic ideals and progressive principles of the Party.”
The committee further said the exercise was largely peaceful and orderly; adding that aspirants conducted themselves with maturity and decorum throughout the exercise, except “Mr. Victor Oko-Jumbo, who insisted on entering the screening venue with a retinue of security aides, thereby resulting in a disagreement with officers of the Nigeria Police Force on duty.
“The security agents successfully put the situation under control and the screening continued smoothly.”
The committee also said one of the aspirants attempted to bribe its members and was handed over to the police.
“In the course of the Committee’s sitting, Mr. Tonye Garrick Tom-George, an aspirant for the Asari Toru 1 seat, approached the Committee and handed over an envelope containing money together with his passport photograph in an apparent attempt to improperly influence the screening process. The incident was reported to the police,” it added.
While noting that the committee received petitions against some aspirants from some concerned persons, it said aspirants presented complete and satisfactory documentation even as discrepancies observed in some submissions were duly noted.
The report however stated, “The Committee respectfully recommends the following aspirants who successfully satisfied the requirements of the screening exercise and are hereby CLEARED to participate in the Party primaries for the Rivers State House of Assembly elections, Maol Dumle (serving deputy speaker), Major Jack (serving House leader), Enemi Alabo George (serving House spokesman),” among 30 others.
The committee listed 10 reasons for the ‘non-clearance’ of the other aspirants as follows ‘nominations by persons who are not financially up to date members of the Party, contrary to Article 9.3 of the Party Constitution, inducement and attempted bribery of committee members, submission of unsworn affidavits, failure to present voters cards, failure to present party membership slips or cards, conflicting dates of birth’.
Others are, “Failure to confirm payment of membership dues by nominators, irregular party membership numbers of nominators, inconsistencies in names appearing on submitted documents, insufficient nominators with required numbers which fall short of three nominators per ward and invalid affidavits that failed to disclose material particulars relating to NECO certificates.”
“The Committee is satisfied that it diligently and faithfully discharged the responsibility entrusted to it. The screening exercise was conducted in substantial compliance with the Constitution and Guidelines of the Party and reflected the democratic spirit for which the Party stands,” the report concluded.
