THE All Progressives Congress (APC) screening exercise ahead of the 2027 general elections recorded the notable absence of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, even as the party screened over 14 governors seeking re-election and other elective positions.
Also screened was President Bola Tinubu’s sole challenger for the APC presidential ticket, Stanley Osifo, who described the exercise as rigorous but fair.
News Point Nigeria reports that the APC commenced the sale of expression of interest and nomination forms on April 28, with the process officially closing at midnight on May 6.
The screening of serving governors began on May 8 and is expected to conclude on May 10, while the party adopted both consensus and direct primaries in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2025.
According to the timetable released by the party, the primaries will be conducted in phases beginning with the House of Representatives on May 15, followed by the Senate on May 18, State Houses of Assembly on May 20, governorship on May 21, and the presidential primary on May 23.
Appeal committees are expected to sit after each exercise to resolve disputes arising from the primaries.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed the presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.
INEC also announced that political parties would conduct their primaries and resolve related disputes between April 23 and May 30, 2026.
According to the electoral body, campaigns for presidential and National Assembly elections will commence on August 19, 2026, while governorship and State Assembly campaigns are slated to begin on September 9, 2026.
The APC screening committee for serving governors is chaired by the party’s National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, while the National Secretary, Surajudeen Basiru, serves as secretary.
Among the governors screened were Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf, Gombe State Governor Inuwa Yahaya, Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris, Plateau State Governor Caleb Muftwang, and Benue State Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia.
Others screened included Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Niger State Governor Umar Bago, Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal, Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu, and Sokoto State Governor Ahmed Aliyu.
“So far, we have screened over 14 governors and the exercise is still ongoing,” a principal APC official told Sunday PUNCH on condition of anonymity.
Speaking shortly after undergoing the exercise, Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno described the process as smooth and satisfactory.
“Perfect, and I think it’s a normal procedure. I am satisfied. Again, I thank the National Working Committee, the chairman, and all members of the National Working Committee. It brings synergy between the sitting governors and the National Working Committee, and it shows growth. There’s no sitting governor who is not in sync with the National Working Committee,” Eno said.
“This exercise consolidates that. It makes you meet all of them, and it shows that there is a flow between us as progressives. So I’m satisfied.”
Commenting on governance and the performance of the administration, Eno said: “In my state or in the nation? In the nation, you’ve seen the work that the President is doing, and we are all part of it. We’re working from our various states. Of course, it builds up from the sub-national to the national.”
“And so there is no progressive governor today whose work you cannot verify on the ground. And then at the national level, the President has given us, as governors, lots of support. Things are difficult, we must admit, but we also must admit that things are improving from where this President took over. And there is a pathway. You can see the stabilisation of the dollar.”
He added that despite external challenges, including the Iran-American war, progress was still visible.
“You can see that, apart from the Iran-American war, which is also now affecting some of the achievements, and this is not only in Nigeria anyway, you can truly say that there is progress. There is light at the end of the tunnel. I feel that Nigerians know that this President needs to come back to consolidate the work that he has started,” the governor stated.
Eno further pledged to build on the achievements of his administration if re-elected.
Also speaking after the screening, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Bauchi State governorship aspirant, Yusuf Tuggar, said consensus was unlikely in the APC governorship race in Bauchi due to the growing number of aspirants.
“Well, to be honest, it is unlikely that there is going to be a consensus in Bauchi State. I don’t think there will be agreement among the aspirants,” Tuggar said.
“Initially, there were five aspirants, and then all of a sudden, yesterday (Friday), we saw a flurry of activities and a deluge of forms being procured. So, this happened a day before the screening, and it makes you wonder why or how. But people are free to exercise their freedom to contest, so they have contested.”
He urged the APC leadership to identify genuinely committed aspirants and guard against manipulations during the primary process.
“However, it is important for the APC to be mindful of this and to sift through those who are seriously committed and dedicated to the party and are sincere in their intention to contest, and those who perhaps may just join the race so that they can later withdraw for one preferred candidate, thereby creating a semblance of consensus.”
“It is also important that any fraudulent or untoward practice is not entertained by the APC,” he added.
Tuggar further noted that the political climate had changed significantly since his previous contests.
“This time will be different if my party fields me as its candidate, because in 2011, when I ran under the CPC, I contested against an incumbent governor seeking a second term. This time around, it is an incumbent who is at the end of his tenure and is looking to field a replacement.”
“Back then, there were also many anomalies. We didn’t even have electronic card readers in 2011. Then in 2015, that was still the formative stage of the APC, and we had people coming in at the last minute after contesting under the PDP to contest under the APC. Now, the Electoral Act does not allow for such switches and last-minute changes,” he stated.
He urged the party to focus on grassroots politicians and mobilisers capable of delivering victories at all levels.
Similarly, Kwara State governorship aspirant Abdul Fatai Yahya said he was ready for any mode of primary adopted by the party leadership.
Presidential aspirant Stanley Osifo also described the screening process as fair and thorough, saying he answered all questions posed to him by the committee.
He confirmed that he was asked why he was contesting against an incumbent president and noted that he remained committed to the race despite the endorsement already given to President Tinubu by party leaders.
Stanley added that he had not discussed stepping down and insisted that the method of conducting the primary remained the exclusive responsibility of the party.
Other governors screened for senatorial positions included Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma, among others.
However, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara was conspicuously absent from the exercise.
Fubara, who has remained locked in a prolonged political battle with his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, reportedly obtained APC expression of interest and nomination forms through a proxy despite alleged opposition from Wike.
By the conclusion of the screening exercise on Friday and Saturday, the Rivers governor had yet to appear before the committee.
Responding to questions over Fubara’s absence, APC National Chairman and screening committee chairman, Yilwatda, said governors with official state engagements were excused.
“Three governors have not come, so that is the issue. I said you should not single one person out when three governors have not appeared,” he said.
“All of them have their reasons for not appearing, and we know they are chief executives of their states with state responsibilities.”
“So, any governor who has state issues to attend to, whether the governor of Kwara State, Ebonyi State, Rivers State, we excuse them. They are chief executives and field commanders. Anytime they are free, within the stipulated time, the screening committee will be available and we will provide a slot for them,” Yilwatda added.
This newspaper gathered that some prominent Rivers indigenes led by House of Representatives member Awaj-Inombek Abiante and former Commissioner for Education, Dr. Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja, purchased the expression of interest and nomination forms for Fubara.
However, it remains unclear whether the forms were eventually presented to the governor.
Meanwhile, former Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Das George-Kelly, and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, were also reported to have purchased APC governorship nomination forms for the Rivers governorship race.
Speaking on Beat FM 99.9 in Port Harcourt, Gogo-Jaja claimed that Chinda, who is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, purchased a governorship nomination form under the APC platform.
“Those who are disrespecting Mr President, are they not those who were asked to resign if they have political ambition and they did not resign?” he asked.
“As we speak, O.K. Chinda is the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, yet he bought a governorship nomination form in the APC, in our party.”
“Maybe if you have been hearing it as a rumour, quote me. I saw his name among those who bought the governorship form.”
“I have access to the file because I was among those who went to submit it,” he stated.