Anxiety, fear grip aspirants as APC delays release of screening results

Fresh anxiety has reportedly gripped the ruling All Progressives Congress following the party’s continued silence over the outcome of its screening exercise ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the political future of allies of Siminalayi Fubara said to be uncertain.

Reports indicated that tension has continued to rise among supporters of several governorship aspirants as the party leadership delays the release of the screening report.

Party sources quoted by The Guardian alleged that the delay may be linked to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s foreign trip, claiming some APC leaders preferred to await his return before taking a final decision.

Other insiders reportedly suggested that the leadership was being careful to avoid triggering fresh defections by aggrieved aspirants to rival political parties.

At the APC national secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday, members of the National Working Committee led by National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda were absent, further fueling speculation over unresolved disagreements within the party.

Efforts to obtain official comments from APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka reportedly failed as calls to his phone line were unanswered.

The uncertainty has particularly heightened concerns among politicians believed to be loyal to Fubara within the APC structure in Rivers State.

There were also speculations surrounding the party’s proposed direct primary arrangement, especially after reports emerged that several aspirants linked to the Rivers governor allegedly failed the internal screening conducted by the party.

Although the APC reportedly denied allegations of bias and insisted that the exercise followed due process, the controversy has intensified fears that Fubara’s loyalists could face obstacles in securing party tickets for 2027.

Beyond Rivers State, internal tensions were also said to be mounting in Benue State, where divisions linked to Governor Hyacinth Alia and other influential blocs within the party were reportedly creating fresh pressure over candidate selection.

The Guardian further reported that similar concerns persist in other politically sensitive states where succession battles and factional disputes are threatening party unity.

Some insiders warned that unresolved grievances and allegations of selective screening could deepen divisions within the ruling party if not carefully managed.

Sources also linked the delay in releasing the screening report to alleged disagreements within the Progressive Governors’ Forum over the future political direction of the party ahead of Tinubu’s expected emergence as APC presidential candidate for 2027.

Meanwhile, the crisis within the APC reportedly worsened after former Danjuma Goje dumped the party over disagreements surrounding a consensus arrangement for the Gombe South Senatorial District.

The development followed Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s endorsement of Jerry Damara as the APC consensus candidate for the district.

Goje was said to have opposed the arrangement brokered by the governor, making him one of the first major casualties of the growing influence of governors in the party’s candidate selection process.

Elsewhere, tension has also reportedly intensified in Ondo State ahead of the APC primaries, with fears of violence resurfacing in several communities following the alleged influx of suspected political thugs.

The APC has scheduled House of Representatives primaries for Thursday, while Senate and State Assembly primaries are expected to hold on May 18 and May 20 respectively.

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and some National Assembly members from the state are reportedly locked in a political dispute over alleged attempts to deny certain aspirants return tickets.

Residents in Owo, Akure, Idanre, Irele, Okitipupa and Akoko South West reportedly expressed fears over possible violence, recalling deadly incidents recorded during the party’s recent congresses.

During those congresses, suspected thugs allegedly attacked party leaders at the APC secretariat in Akure, while incidents of shootings and machete attacks were also reported in parts of the state.

The Ondo State Police Command said it had intensified security operations across the state ahead of the primaries.

Meanwhile, women’s rights advocate Osasu Igbinedion Ogwuche accused political parties of systematically sidelining women ahead of the 2027 elections.

Ogwuche alleged that many female aspirants were being pressured to step down for consensus candidates across major political parties including the APC, PDP, SDP and ADC.

She argued that Nigeria’s political structure remains largely unfavourable to women and warned that the continued exclusion of women from leadership positions could have long-term political and economic consequences for the country.

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