Tension mounts as Fubara walks out on APC Screening C’ttee

Rivers State Governor Similaye Fubara on Sunday left the All Progressives Congress, APC screening exercise abruptly after a brief appearance before the party officials.

The Governor declined to confirm whether he was cleared or failed the screening process.

While other serving governors completed their screening on Saturday, Fubara was conspicuously absent from the process.

He later arrived at the Plateau Governor’s Lodge, venue of the screening, around 3:15pm on Sunday.

The governor entered the screening room but stormed out five minutes later and headed straight to his unnumbered car parked at the entrance.

Witnesses described his demeanor as visibly angry and agitated.

When newsmen approached him for comments, Fubara declined to make comments. “No comment,” he said, looking depressed before leaving the venue.

Sources gathered that the process did not go well with the Rivers governor, though details of what transpired inside were not disclosed.

Later, the APC National Secretary and Secretary of the Screening Committee, Senator Ajibola Basiru, was approached by newsmen, but he was evasive when asked specifically about Fubara’s status.

“It appears that everybody must appear before the screening committee, of course, it is necessary as part of the process,” he said.

Basiru stressed that no conclusions could be drawn yet about anyone’s fate.

“After the exercise, the screening committee will issue its report. As at now, the screening committee, when it has completed seeing everybody it is supposed to see, will sit down and come up with reports on the screening,” he stated.

Pressed further on whether the Rivers governor had been screened, Basiru responded by saying,  “I don’t know what you mean by screening. Anybody that appears before the screening committee, of course, is necessary as part of the process,” he said.

He reiterated that the committee had not submitted its report. “As of now, there’s no report of the screening committee,” Basiru added.

The incident has fueled speculation over Fubara’s standing within the APC ahead of the 2027 elections, with the party yet to provide clarity on the outcome of his appearance.