The All Progressives Congress has screened no fewer than 14 serving governors seeking re-election and other elective positions ahead of the 2027 general elections, even as Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, was notably absent from the ongoing exercise.
Also screened was President Bola Tinubu’s sole challenger for the party’s presidential ticket, Stanley Osifo, as the ruling party intensified preparations for its primary elections.
The APC had commenced the sale of its expression of interest and nomination forms on April 28, with the exercise closing at midnight on May 6. Screening of serving governors began on May 8 and is scheduled to conclude on May 10, while the party has adopted both consensus and direct primaries in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2025.
According to the timetable released by the party, primaries will be conducted in phases, beginning with the House of Representatives on May 15, followed by the Senate on May 18, State Houses of Assembly on May 20, governorship primaries on May 21, and the presidential primary on May 23. Appeal committees are expected to sit after each exercise to address disputes arising from the primaries.
The Independent National Electoral Commission had earlier fixed January 16, 2027, for the presidential and National Assembly elections, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.
INEC also directed political parties to conduct their primaries and resolve internal disputes between April 23 and May 30, 2026, while campaigns for presidential and National Assembly elections are expected to commence on August 19, 2026. Campaigns for governorship and State Assembly elections will begin on September 9, 2026.
The APC screening committee for sitting governors is chaired by the party’s National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, with the National Secretary, Surajudeen Basiru, serving as secretary.
Among governors screened so far are Abba Yusuf of Kano State, Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, Nasir Idris of Kebbi State, Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia of Benue State, Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, Umar Bago of Niger State, Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, Bassey Otu of Cross River State, and Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State.
A senior party official, who spoke anonymously, disclosed that more than 14 governors had already undergone screening, with the exercise still ongoing.
Speaking after his screening, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, described the exercise as smooth, transparent, and necessary for strengthening the relationship between serving governors and the party’s National Working Committee.
He expressed confidence in the leadership of the party and commended President Tinubu’s administration, saying governors across the country were witnessing growing synergy with the Federal Government.
Eno said despite prevailing economic challenges, there were visible signs of improvement under the current administration and expressed optimism that the president deserved another term to consolidate ongoing reforms and development initiatives.
He also pledged to build on his administration’s achievements if re-elected.
Meanwhile, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Bauchi State governorship aspirant, Yusuf Tuggar, expressed doubts over the possibility of a consensus arrangement in the APC governorship race in Bauchi, citing the rising number of aspirants joining the contest.
Tuggar urged the party leadership to carefully identify serious and committed aspirants while guarding against manipulations and arrangements aimed at creating artificial consensus.
He said the political landscape had changed significantly compared to previous election cycles and stressed the need for the party to focus on grassroots politicians and credible mobilisers capable of delivering electoral victories.
Similarly, Kwara State governorship aspirant, Abdul Fatai Yahya, declared his readiness to participate under any mode of primary adopted by the party leadership.
On the presidential front, Stanley Osifo, the only aspirant challenging President Tinubu for the APC presidential ticket, described the screening exercise as rigorous but fair.
He said he answered all questions posed by the screening panel, including why he decided to contest against an incumbent president, and insisted that he remained fully committed to the race despite the party leadership’s endorsement of Tinubu.
Osifo added that decisions regarding the mode of primary and the outcome of the screening rested with the appropriate organs of the party, expressing confidence in the process.
Other governors seeking senatorial positions, including Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma, were also screened as part of the ongoing exercise.
However, the absence of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara from the screening process generated considerable attention.
Fubara, who has been at the centre of a prolonged political rift with his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, was said to have obtained the APC expression of interest and nomination forms through proxies despite reported opposition from political interests within the state.
By the close of screening on Friday and Saturday, the governor had yet to appear before the committee.
Reacting to concerns over Fubara’s absence, the chairman of the screening committee, Nentawe Yilwatda, dismissed suggestions that the Rivers governor was being singled out, noting that three governors were yet to appear for screening.
Yilwatda explained that governors with official state engagements were granted flexibility due to their responsibilities as chief executives of their states.
He assured that any governor unable to appear within the initial schedule would be accommodated within the stipulated screening period once available.
Meanwhile, indications emerged that prominent Rivers political stakeholders had reportedly purchased expression of interest and nomination forms on behalf of Fubara, although it remained unclear whether the forms had been formally presented to him.
There were also reports that former Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Das George-Kelly, and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, had obtained governorship nomination forms under the APC platform, further intensifying political permutations ahead of the party’s primaries in the oil-rich state.
