The Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, was reportedly missing during the screening exercise of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to Punch, 14 governors seeking re-election and other elective positions were screened.
Also, President Bola Tinubu’s sole challenger, Stanley Osifo, was screened.
The screening of serving governors began on May 8 and is expected to conclude today (May 10), while the party adopted both consensus and direct primaries in accordance with the Electoral Act 2025.
The party’s primaries are scheduled in phases, beginning with the House of Representatives on May 15, followed by the Senate on May 18, the State Houses of Assembly on May 20, the governorship on May 21, and the presidential primary on May 23.
Appeal committees are expected to convene after each exercise to address disputes arising from the primaries.
Among the governors screened were Abba Yusuf of Kano State, Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, Nasir Idris of Kebbi State, Caleb Muftwang of Plateau State, and Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia of Benue State.
Others included Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru and Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
The committee also screened Niger State Governor, Umar Bago; Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal; Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu; and Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, as part of the ongoing exercise.
“So far, we have screened over 14 governors, and the exercise is still ongoing,” a principal official of the APC, who spoke with the aforementioned publication, said.
Other governors screened for senatorial elections include Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, among others, who had also undergone screening.
However, the governor of Rivers State was notably absent from the screening exercise.
Fubara, who has been involved in a long-standing political conflict with his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, reportedly obtained the APC expression of interest and nomination forms through a proxy, against Wike’s alleged opposition.
By the conclusion of the screening exercise on Friday and Saturday, Fubara had not appeared for the process.
Responding to questions about his absence from the screening, the Chairman of the Committee, who also serves as the APC Chairman, Yilwatda, said state governors with official engagements were excused.
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. They are chief executives and field commanders. Anytime they are free, within the stipulated time, the screening committee will be available, and we will provide a slot for them.”