National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Nentawe Yilwatda, has said Siminalayi Fubara successfully passed the party’s governorship screening process before voluntarily withdrawing from the Rivers State governorship primary election.
Fubara had announced his withdrawal from the race on May 20, saying the decision was made out of conviction and sacrifice in the interest of peace and unity in the state.
In his statement at the time, the governor said, “I do so with a full heart and with a firm commitment to support whoever emerges as the candidate of our great party.”
Before his withdrawal, Fubara and Kingsley Chinda, an ally of Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, had participated in the APC screening exercise for the governorship primary.
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Fubara’s appearance after the screening had sparked speculation about a possible disqualification after he declined to speak with journalists.
The development was further heightened after the screening panel reportedly disqualified several lawmakers and political associates linked to the governor in the Rivers State House of Assembly primaries, while aspirants aligned with Wike were cleared.
However, speaking during an interview on Politics Today on Channels Television, Yilwatda dismissed claims that Fubara was disqualified.
He said: “He (Fubara) pulled out; he stepped down. It is personal to him. He bought the forms, came for screening, passed the screening, and we were waiting for the primaries before he opted to step down.”
The APC chairman also rejected suggestions that Wike influenced the governor’s decision, insisting that the FCT minister was not a member of the APC and therefore had no role in determining the party’s internal processes.
