Background of the Screening Process
The Rivers State House of Assembly screening committee, led by Ajibola Muraina, recently concluded a two-day screening exercise in Port Harcourt. The event took place at the APC secretariat and was aimed at selecting candidates for the 2027 Assembly polls. A total of 98 aspirants were considered during this process, with 33 cleared to participate in the primaries and 65 disqualified.
Among those cleared were 28 serving members of the state House of Assembly, including the Deputy Speaker, Dumle Maol, who are loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. The House Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, has already been screened by the APC national secretariat and is eyeing the Green Chamber of the National Assembly.
Disqualification and Controversies
The report indicated that all 32 aspirants adopted by Governor Siminalayi Fubara were disqualified, including former factional speaker, Victor Oko-Jumbo. The disqualification was based on several reasons outlined in the report, such as financial irregularities, attempted bribery, and submission of unsworn affidavits.
One of the notable incidents involved Mr. Tonye Garrick Tom-George, an aspirant for the Asari Toru 1 seat, who was accused of attempting to bribe the committee members. The incident was reported to the police, and the committee noted that the aspirant had handed over an envelope containing money along with his passport photograph.
Additionally, the report highlighted a disagreement involving Mr. Victor Oko-Jumbo, who insisted on entering the screening venue with a retinue of security aides. This led to a conflict with officers of the Nigeria Police Force, but the situation was eventually resolved.
Committee’s Statement on Transparency
The committee emphasized that it followed a transparent, orderly, and participatory procedure to ensure fairness. It stated that it screened all 98 aspirants who turned up and that the exercise was largely peaceful and orderly. The report concluded that the committee discharged its mandate with diligence, fairness, transparency, and fidelity to the democratic ideals and progressive principles of the party.
However, the committee secretary, Tanko Yamawa, issued a disclaimer stating that the report was false and unauthorized. He mentioned that the screening exercise was concluded less than 24 hours ago, and no official list had been released by the party at this time. Yamawa urged party faithful, aspirants, supporters, and the general public to disregard the purported list, describing it as the handiwork of mischief makers.
Reactions from Disqualified Aspirants
Several disqualified aspirants expressed their dismay and questioned the fairness of the process. Mr. Tom-George denied the allegation of bribery, insisting that he abhors corruption and challenged the committee to provide evidence to validate its claims. Another aspirant, Gogo-Ogute Isaiah, expressed frustration over not being officially informed of his disqualification and requested specific reasons for his exclusion.
An anonymous aspirant criticized the committee’s report, suggesting that the outcome was predetermined and that the criteria used were not tenable. He questioned why all 32 aspirants aligned with the FCT minister were cleared while others faced disqualification. Another aspirant, Solomon Lenu, argued that the screening process compromised true democracy and could lead to confusion and instability within the party.
Appeals and Next Steps
The state Publicity Secretary of the party, Chibike Ikenga, advised all aspirants who purchased forms for the screening to check their status on the notice board at the APC Secretariat in Port Harcourt. He also mentioned that appeals arising from the screening outcome should be submitted through the party secretariat.
