The All Progressives Congress has disqualified two serving members of the House of Representatives from Rivers State, along with two other aspirants believed to be loyal to Siminalayi Fubara, ahead of the party’s primary election scheduled for Saturday.
The affected lawmakers are Awaji-Inombek Abiante and Boma Goodhead. Also barred from contesting are John Opera and Anderson Igbiki, all of whom were listed among those not cleared to participate in the APC House of Representatives primaries.
The decision was contained in the party’s final list of aspirants released on Friday. The development is seen as a major political setback for supporters of Governor Fubara within the party, especially as Abiante had been one of the key political figures who previously purchased a governorship nomination form for the governor.
Meanwhile, 21 other aspirants were cleared by the party to contest in the primaries. Among them is Martin Amaewhule, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, who is contesting for the Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency seat.
Amaewhule is seeking to succeed his kinsman, Kingsley Chinda, the current Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.
Confirming the list, the APC Publicity Secretary in Rivers State, Chibike Ikenga, said the names of cleared and disqualified aspirants were approved by the party’s national leadership.
In a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Friday, Ikenga urged all aspirants to comply with the final list as released, stressing that the primary election would proceed as scheduled.
According to the statement, the party advised all affected aspirants to take the information seriously and abide by the decisions ahead of the House of Representatives primary election slated for May 16, 2026.
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