NEWS
Rivers APC Assembly Primaries Crisis Deepens as Appeal Committee Upholds Disqualification of 65 Aspirants Allegedly Loyal to Governor Fubara, Final Cleared List Expected After Appeal Deadline
Fresh political tension has erupted within the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, following the decision of the party’s House of Assembly Screening Appeal Committee to uphold the disqualification of dozens of aspirants reportedly linked to Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The screening appeal committee, chaired by Abdul Mahmud, confirmed the development while addressing journalists on Tuesday, signaling what many political observers describe as a major twist ahead of the party’s legislative primaries in the state.
The controversy began after the APC concluded its screening exercise for House of Assembly aspirants, during which 33 aspirants were cleared to contest while 65 others were disqualified from the process.
The disqualified aspirants are widely believed to be loyalists and political allies of Siminalayi Fubara, a development that has further intensified discussions surrounding the growing political divisions and power struggle within Rivers State politics.
Speaking on the outcome of the appeals process so far, Mahmud disclosed that the committee had already received 19 appeals from some of the affected aspirants seeking reconsideration of their disqualification.
He explained that the window for the submission of appeals remains open until Wednesday, after which the committee will conclude its review and forward its recommendations.
The committee chairman also stated that the final list of cleared aspirants would be officially released once the appeal process closes, a move expected to determine the political direction of the APC ahead of the forthcoming legislative contests in Rivers State.
The latest development is expected to generate further reactions across political circles in the state, especially amid ongoing alignments and rivalries involving key actors in Rivers politics.