Rivers APC Senatorial Primaries Record Large Turnout, Candidates Emerge Unopposed

There was a large turnout of members of the All Progressives Congress (All Progressives Congress) across various centres in Rivers State on Monday as the party conducted its senatorial primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.

At the end of the exercise, the senator representing Rivers East Senatorial District, Allwell Onyesoh, was returned unopposed as the party’s candidate for the district.

Similarly, former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Bro. Felix Obuah, emerged unopposed for Rivers West Senatorial District, while Chief Barry Nwara was also returned unopposed for Rivers South-East Senatorial District.

The exercise, which was conducted across designated centres in the state, was largely peaceful, with party members expressing satisfaction over the process.

However, tension trailed the primaries following the disqualification of the senator representing Rivers West Senatorial District, Ipalibo Banigo, who rejected her exclusion by the party’s screening committee.

Speaking to her supporters in Degema, headquarters of Degema Local Government Area, Banigo called on the national leadership of the APC to intervene and correct what she described as irregularities in the process.

“God is in control; everything will be alright. In fact, the point is that sometimes people don’t understand national politics. They don’t understand that it is in national politics that you have to bring out your best so that you can bring the best also back to your state,” she said.

She urged calm among her supporters while appealing to the party leadership to review her disqualification.

“I am also pleading to our great national party, the All Progressives Congress to look into this matter and to do the right thing. I am sure they are capable of putting the records right,” she added.

Banigo further expressed confidence that the matter would be resolved in due course, calling for patience among her supporters as internal party processes continue.