{"id":98868,"date":"2026-05-11T08:32:28","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T08:32:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/?p=98868"},"modified":"2026-05-11T12:39:59","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T12:39:59","slug":"apcs-2027-screening-drama-how-fubaras-walkout-exposed-the-cracks-in-ruling-party","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/?p=98868","title":{"rendered":"APC\u2019s 2027 Screening Drama: How Fubara\u2019s Alleged Walkout Exposed the Cracks in Ruling Party"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Paul Chinda<\/strong><\/p>\n

The tense appearance of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara before the screening committee of the All Progressives Congress may ultimately be remembered as more than just another dramatic episode in the country\u2019s increasingly turbulent political season.<\/p>\n

When Fubara arrived at the Plateau Governor\u2019s Lodge in Abuja for his long-awaited screening and then stormed out without speaking to journalists, political observers immediately sensed that something deeper was unfolding inside the ruling party.<\/p>\n

His silence spoke loudly.<\/p>\n

But another report suggests that he was actually screened and cleared per a source close to his cabinet. The next few days will, however, tell the full story.<\/p>\n

The development has now intensified nationwide debate over the APC\u2019s internal screening exercise ahead of the 2027 general elections – a process many analysts say is already revealing the party\u2019s internal contradictions, elite rivalries and growing struggle to balance political expansion with internal stability.<\/p>\n

The APC screening committee, chaired by Nentawe Yilwatda, was constituted to vet governors seeking second terms, senatorial aspirants and governorship hopefuls ahead of the party\u2019s primaries.<\/p>\n

But across the country, the exercise has evolved beyond routine administrative checks.<\/p>\n

Instead, it has become a battleground for power blocs, defectors, incumbents and competing political interests.<\/p>\n

Fubara and the Rivers Question<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Rivers governor\u2019s screening appearance came after he failed to attend the exercise on the officially scheduled day, prompting speculation about possible disagreements within the party.<\/p>\n

Although APC officials insisted his absence was due to official engagements and would be accommodated within the screening window, Sunday\u2019s events only deepened suspicions of unresolved tensions surrounding his political future.<\/p>\n

Fubara\u2019s political crisis remains tied to his prolonged feud with his predecessor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.<\/p>\n

The battle between both camps has become one of the most consequential political conflicts in contemporary Nigerian politics.<\/p>\n

At stake are:<\/p>\n

\u2022 control of Rivers State\u2019s political machinery,<\/p>\n

\u2022 influence over state resources,<\/p>\n

\u2022 and the governorship succession structure ahead of 2027.<\/p>\n

Several reconciliation meetings reportedly involving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other stakeholders have failed to produce lasting peace between the two camps.<\/p>\n

Wike has repeatedly signalled opposition to Fubara\u2019s second-term ambition, despite growing speculation that the Rivers governor\u2019s alignment with APC structures could improve his political chances.<\/p>\n

Watchers believe Fubara\u2019s visibly tense demeanor during the screening exercise reflected the uncertainty surrounding his standing within the ruling party.<\/p>\n

His refusal to address reporters after the screening was widely interpreted as evidence that negotiations over his political future may still be ongoing.<\/p>\n

APC\u2019s Expansion Problem<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Rivers crisis also reflects the larger national issue confronting the APC.<\/p>\n

Since assuming power at the centre, the ruling party has aggressively expanded by attracting governors, lawmakers and influential politicians from rival parties.<\/p>\n

That strategy has strengthened the APC nationally but also created dangerous internal tensions.<\/p>\n

Across several states, long-standing APC loyalists now find themselves competing against powerful defectors who arrive with existing political structures and influence.<\/p>\n

The result is growing resentment within the party.<\/p>\n

The central dilemma confronting APC leaders is increasingly clear: Should defectors automatically dominate party structures because they control state power and electoral machinery?<\/p>\n

That question now hangs over multiple states beyond Rivers.<\/p>\n

States Facing Internal APC Tensions<\/strong><\/p>\n

The APC screening exercise has exposed varying levels of political stability across the federation.<\/p>\n

In states such as Sokoto, Cross River and Niger, incumbent governors appear relatively secure within party structures.<\/p>\n

Governors including\u00a0Ahmed Aliyu, Bassey Otu and Umar Bago are widely expected to secure party backing with minimal resistance.<\/p>\n

However, the situation is markedly different in politically volatile states such as:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Rivers,<\/p>\n

\u2022 Kano,<\/p>\n

\u2022 Benue,<\/p>\n

\u2022 Zamfara,<\/p>\n

\u2022 and parts of the North-Central.<\/p>\n

In these states, screening committees are effectively functioning as conflict-management panels rather than mere verification bodies.<\/p>\n

The APC leadership is believed to be attempting to avoid divisive primaries capable of weakening the party ahead of the national elections.<\/p>\n

Screening as Political Negotiation<\/strong><\/p>\n

Although APC National Secretary Ajibola Basiru stated that appearing before the committee did not amount to automatic clearance, his remarks have further fueled speculation that the process involves more political bargaining than public officials admit.<\/p>\n

Observers note that in Nigerian politics, screening exercises often serve multiple hidden purposes:<\/p>\n

\u2022 testing loyalty,<\/p>\n

\u2022 negotiating consensus arrangements,<\/p>\n

\u2022 balancing competing interests,<\/p>\n

\u2022 and determining which aspirants align with broader party strategies.<\/p>\n

For many political insiders, the real decisions are frequently made before delegates ever vote during primaries.<\/p>\n

Rise of a \u201cNational Absorption Machine\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Many argue that the APC is increasingly transforming into what some describe as a \u201cnational absorption machine\u201d – a dominant platform focused less on ideology and more on consolidating elite political interests across Nigeria.<\/p>\n

The party\u2019s growing influence has weakened opposition parties but simultaneously intensified internal contradictions.<\/p>\n

Many politicians defecting into the APC are former rivals who once fiercely criticised the ruling party.<\/p>\n

Now, they seek accommodation within the same structure.<\/p>\n

This dynamic has complicated the party\u2019s internal balance.<\/p>\n

The emergence of multiple power centres inside APC-controlled states means screening exercises now carry enormous political consequences.<\/p>\n

A poor handling of the process could trigger:<\/p>\n

\u2022 defections,<\/p>\n

\u2022 lawsuits,<\/p>\n

\u2022 parallel candidates,<\/p>\n

\u2022 or sabotage during elections.<\/p>\n

Conversely, a successful management of the screening process could position the APC for another dominant outing in 2027.<\/p>\n

Why Rivers Matters Nationally<\/strong><\/p>\n

Among all the states under focus, Rivers remains perhaps the most strategically important.<\/p>\n

As one of Nigeria\u2019s richest oil-producing states, Rivers carries enormous electoral and financial significance.<\/p>\n

Control of the state has implications far beyond local politics.<\/p>\n

For President Tinubu and APC strategists, maintaining stability in Rivers is considered essential to the party\u2019s South-South calculations ahead of 2027.<\/p>\n

But the unresolved conflict between Wike and Fubara continues to complicate that objective.<\/p>\n

The key question remains unanswered:<\/p>\n

Can Fubara politically survive if Wike remains opposed to his second-term ambition?<\/p>\n

That question now transcends Rivers State.<\/p>\n

It speaks directly to a larger national struggle between incumbent governors seeking political independence and powerful political godfathers determined to retain control over state structures.<\/p>\n

Primaries May Decide 2027<\/p>\n

Watchers increasingly argue that the APC\u2019s internal processes may determine the outcome of the 2027 elections long before Nigerians cast their votes.<\/p>\n

In the country’s political system, party primaries often matter more than the general election itself because:<\/p>\n

\u2022 governors heavily influence delegates,<\/p>\n

\u2022 incumbents dominate party structures,<\/p>\n

\u2022 and federal power frequently shapes internal party outcomes.<\/p>\n

The ongoing screening exercise therefore represents more than a procedural event.<\/p>\n

It is an early test of APC\u2019s ability to manage ambition, defections, rivalries and elite expectations within a rapidly expanding political coalition.<\/p>\n

For now, Fubara\u2019s brief but dramatic appearance before the screening panel has become the most visible symbol of those tensions.<\/p>\n

His silence may ultimately prove to be one of the loudest political statements of the season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Paul Chinda The tense appearance of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara before the screening committee of the All Progressives Congress may ultimately be remembered as more than just another dramatic episode in the country\u2019s increasingly turbulent political season. When Fubara arrived at the Plateau Governor\u2019s Lodge in Abuja for his long-awaited screening and then […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":95681,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5777,8],"tags":[189,5867,6306,8324,742,7392],"class_list":["post-98868","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-features","category-politics","tag-apc","tag-bago","tag-fubara","tag-otu","tag-wike","tag-yilwatda"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98868","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=98868"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98868\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/95681"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=98868"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=98868"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=98868"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}