The political crisis in Rivers State appears to have taken a fresh twist following the screening of aspirants for the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Assembly primaries, with several loyalists of Governor Siminalayi Fubara failing to make the party’s final list.
Among those reportedly not cleared by the APC screening committee are former Obio/Akpor council chairman, Chijioke Ihunwo, and serving lawmakers Sokari Goodboy and Victor Oko-Jumbo, all considered close allies of Governor Fubara.
The development has already sparked political intrigue across the state, with observers interpreting the outcome as another sign of the widening political divide between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The screening exercise is being viewed by many as more than a routine party process, especially as the Rivers political landscape continues to witness intense power struggles over control of the state’s political structure and the House of Assembly.
In contrast, the list of cleared aspirants appears to favour established political figures and lawmakers believed to be aligned with the Wike political camp.
Among those cleared by the party are:
Maol Dumle
Major Jack
Enemi Alabo George
Tonye Smart Adoki
Tekenari Granville
Their emergence is being seen as a reinforcement of Wike’s influence within the APC structure in Rivers State.
The APC screening exercise was announced by the party’s publicity secretary in the state, Chibike Ikenga, at a time political alignments are already intensifying ahead of future elections.
Political analysts say the development raises fresh questions about the future of Fubara’s loyalists within the APC and whether the party in Rivers is gradually consolidating into a single dominant political bloc.
Governor Fubara, who was elected under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023, defected to the APC last year following his prolonged political conflict with Wike, a crisis that has continued to shape the state’s political atmosphere.
