The All Progressives Congress (APC) has screened out several prominent aspirants in Rivers state ahead of the party’s senatorial primaries for the 2027 general election.
A list released by the party showed that Ipalibo Banigo, Tamunobaabo Danagogo, Ojukaye Amachree, and Jack-Rich Tein were not cleared to contest the APC senatorial primaries.
Banigo, a former deputy governor of the state, currently represents Rivers west in the senate.
Danagogo served as the secretary to the Rivers state government (SSG) when Nyesom Wike was the governor of the state. He also served in the cabinet of Siminalayi Fubara, the incumbent governor, in the same capacity.
Jack-Rich Tein is a businessman and former presidential aspirant.
However, the party cleared Felix Obuah, a former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman in the state, to contest for Rivers west senatorial district seat.
The party also cleared Allwell Onyesoh, senator representing Rivers east, as well as Barry Mwara and Osarosaka Ebenezer for Rivers south-east senatorial district.
Earlier, the APC screened out four house of representatives aspirants aligned with Fubara, including three serving lawmakers.
The affected lawmakers are Anderson Allison Igbiki, Awaji-Inombek Abiante and Boma Goodhead.
Meanwhile, several allies of Wike secured tickets during the APC house of representatives primaries conducted across the 13 federal constituencies in Rivers on Saturday.
Martin Amaewhule, speaker of Rivers state house of assembly, emerged unopposed as the APC candidate for Obio/Akpor federal constituency I after polling 17,968 votes.
Other Wike allies who emerged as APC candidates include Dumnamene Dekor, Solomon Bob, Blessing Amadi, Felix Nweke and Chukwuemele Obuzor.
