Loyalists of Rivers State governor Siminalayi Fubara were excluded from the final list of cleared aspirants released by the All Progressives Congress, APC, ahead of Wednesday’s Rivers State House of Assembly primary election.
Those left out include former factional Speaker, Victor Oko-Jumbo, and former Obio/Akpor Local Government Chairman, Chijioke Ihunwo, both regarded as key allies of the governor during the prolonged political crisis in the state.
In contrast, the party cleared the Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Dumle Maol, House Leader Major Jack, and 34 other aspirants believed to be loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to contest seats in the 32-member Assembly.
Oko-Jumbo and Ihunwo were among 67 aspirants initially disqualified by the party’s screening committee.
Following the development, the affected aspirants petitioned the APC screening appeal committee headed by Abdul Mahmud. Although the committee promised to forward its recommendations to the party’s National Secretariat, no official decision from the appeal process has been made public.
Meanwhile, the final list released by the party cleared the Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Dumle Maol, House Leader Major Jack, and 34 other aspirants believed to be loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to contest seats in the 32-member Assembly.
The Rivers APC Publicity Secretary, Chibuike Ikenga, confirmed the development in a statement issued Tuesday night, noting that the final list was released by the party’s National Secretariat.
He urged aspirants to verify their status at the APC state secretariat in Port Harcourt.
Part of the statement read: “This is to convey to the aspirants, party members, and the public the final list of cleared and uncleared aspirants for the House of Assembly primary election scheduled as stated above.
“Kindly note that this is for the information of the aspirants, who need to cross-check with the party through the notice board at the state party secretariat located at No. 268B Port Harcourt/Aba Express Road, PH.
“Furthermore, this is as released by the National leadership of the party.”
