Primaries: APC Disqualifies Reps’ Appropriations D/Chair, Fubara Allies, Others

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has disqualified 14 House of Representatives aspirants from contesting this Saturday’s nationwide primary election.

APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka in a statement released on Saturday said the screening was conducted by the Party’s Screening Committees in line with established procedures and guidelines.

The party did not give reasons for the disqualification of the aspirants.

“The All Progressives Congress (APC) hereby releases the list of House of Representatives aspirants who participated in the screening exercise but were not cleared to participate in the House of Representatives Primary Election.

“The screening exercise was conducted by the Party’s Screening Committees in line with established procedures and guidelines,”the statement reads.

In the list of the disqualified or not cleared aspirants are the present Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Hon. Iduma Igariwey(Ebonyi) and other ranking members of the Green Chamber, Hon. Awaji-Inombek Abiante and Hon. Boma Goodhead both from Rivers state.

Other disqualified aspirants include Hon. Adefisoye Tajudeen, Olusegun Victor Ategbole, Seun Oluwashina Ajongbolo, Hon. Arowole Ayodeji Samuel – Owo/Ose, Morufu Tosin Ibrahim, Oseni Oyeniyi and Hon. Olaleye John Adedipe – all from Ondo state.

Also not cleared are Air Commodore John Azubuike Opara (Rtd) and Hon. Anderson Allison Igbiki(Rivers state),
Dr Bashir Ibrahim Bello(Bauchi)
and Sanni Salau Ogembe(Kogi).

Igariwey, the lawmaker representing Afikpo North/Afikpo South federal constituency of Ebonyi recently dumped the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

PDP had nominated Igariwey as its governorship candidate in 2022 when the Federal High Court in Abuja sacked Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, and his Deputy, Dr Eric Kelechi Igwe, over their defection from the party to the APC.

On the other hand, Hon. Abiante who is the lawmaker representing Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro federal constituency of and his Akuku-Toru/Asari-Toru counterpart, Goodhead as well as the two other disqualified aspirants from Rivers state are allies of the state governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Abiante are Goodhead are loyalists of the govenror who followed him to APC when he dumped the PDP under whose platforms he was elected governor.

Fubara and his predecessor, the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike have been at loggerheads, causing serious political instability in the state with each camp fighting to undo one another.