Rivers 2027: APC clears all House of Assembly aspirants loyal to Gov Fubara

The All Progressives Congress, APC, screening committee for Rivers State has reportedly approved 32 aspirants for the House of Assembly, who are believed to beryllium loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

The screening, which occurred astatine the party’s authorities secretariat located on Aba Expressway successful Port Harcourt on Saturday, was marked by a important constabulary presence.

On Friday, societal media discussions suggested that Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), planned to “utilize the constabulary to intimidate and harass aspirants loyal to Fubara from engaging successful the process.”

However, the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), who oversaw the constabulary officers on Saturday, stated that their deployment was intended to support information astatine the venue, alternatively than to intimidate oregon harass the aspirants.

Following the screening, 32 allies of Fubara, including Chijioke Ihunwo (the erstwhile Obio/Akpor assembly Chairman) and Victor Oko Jumbo (currently representing Bonny successful the State Assembly), were reportedly authorized to enactment successful the process.

Other aspirants, who are said to beryllium loyal to Wike—including immoderate of the 27 Assembly members who switched to the APC from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, were besides reportedly screened.

Analysts bespeak that the conditions are present ripe for a confrontation betwixt the factions of Fubara and Wike during the primaries.