There was palpable tension on Sunday at the screening venue of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja as Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, reportedly stormed out of the exercise amid growing uncertainty over his political future.
The incident occurred at the Plateau Governor’s Lodge, where the APC screening committee was conducting its exercise ahead of the forthcoming elections.
Naija News understands that while several incumbent governors successfully underwent screening on Saturday, Governor Fubara and his Ebonyi State counterpart, Francis Nwifuru, were notably absent from the process, raising concerns among party faithful and political observers.
Addressing journalists over the development, the Chairman of the Screening Committee and National Chairman of the APC, Nentawe Yilwatda, explained that some governors were unable to appear due to official engagements in their respective states.
According to him, governors who had pressing state responsibilities were granted permission to be absent from the initial screening schedule.
He said, “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. 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.”
However, the political atmosphere took a dramatic turn when Governor Fubara eventually arrived at the venue around 3pm on Sunday.
Sources at the venue disclosed that the Rivers governor spent barely 20 minutes inside the screening room before emerging visibly angry and walking out abruptly.
Eyewitnesses noted that Fubara’s facial expression and body language suggested deep frustration as he ignored journalists who had waited several hours for his arrival.
When reporters attempted to ask about the outcome of the screening, the visibly upset governor simply responded, “No comment,” before leaving the premises.
The development has since sparked fresh speculation over the fate of Fubara’s re-election ambition and his standing within the APC.
Political analysts believe the latest drama may not be unconnected to the lingering political crisis between the Rivers governor and his estranged political godfather, Nyesom Wike.
Fubara and Wike have remained locked in a prolonged power struggle over the control of Rivers State’s political structure, a battle that has continued to dominate the political landscape in the oil-rich state.
Amid the crisis, there have also been growing speculations in political circles that Wike may be backing the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, as a possible replacement for Fubara ahead of the next governorship election.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the APC nor Governor Fubara’s media team has issued an official statement explaining the circumstances surrounding his sudden exit from the screening exercise.
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