The All Progressives Congress (APC) has denied return tickets to two serving members of the House of Representatives from Rivers State, Awaji-Inombek Abiante and Boma Goodhead, ahead of the party’s House of Representatives primaries scheduled for Saturday (today).
The lawmakers were among several aspirants disqualified by the party’s screening committees following the conclusion of the exercise conducted in line with APC guidelines and procedures.
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Their exclusion was contained in the final list of cleared and disqualified aspirants released by the party on Saturday. This development has triggered fresh political tension within Rivers politics, especially among loyalists of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Mr Abiante, a two-term serving lawmaker and one of the prominent political allies of Governor Fubara, was disqualified alongside Ms Goodhead, a three-term serving member of the House of Representatives. Also barred from participating in the primaries were John Opera and Anderson Igbiki, both identified as loyalists of the Rivers governor.
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The disqualification of the four aspirants is expected to deepen the political divide within the Rivers APC and may further complicate the political calculations of Governor Fubara’s camp ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Mr Abiante had emerged as one of the key political figures backing Mr Fubara at the height of the political crisis in Rivers State. He was also among politicians who reportedly purchased the governorship nomination form for the governor during earlier political consultations.
The APC did not publicly state specific reasons for the disqualifications.
The Rivers development was not isolated, as the APC screening exercise also affected aspirants from other states across the country.
In Ebonyi State, a two-term serving member of the House of Representatives, Iduma Igariwey, was also disqualified from participating in the party’s House of Representatives primaries.
Similarly, several aspirants from Ondo State were denied clearance by the party. Those affected include Adefisoye Tajudeen, Olusegun Ategbole, Seun Ajongbolo, Arowole Samuel, Morufu Ibrahim, Oseni Oyeniyi, and Olaleye Adedipe.
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In Bauchi State, Bashir Bello was disqualified, while Sanni Ogembe from Kogi State was also barred from contesting in the primaries.
The latest disqualifications come amid heightened political activities within the APC as the ruling party commences its nationwide primaries for the 2027 elections.
The party had earlier announced adjustments to parts of its primary election timetable, with the House of Representatives primaries slated to hold on Saturday (today) across the country.
Some of the affected aspirants are expected to challenge their disqualification through the party’s appeal mechanisms.
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