Governor Siminalayi Fubara
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has been successfully screened and cleared by the All Progressives Congress (APC) screening committee ahead of the party’s governorship primaries for the 2027 general elections.
The screening exercise for Fubara took place at the Plateau Governors Lodge in Abuja on Sunday, May 10, 2026. According to reports, the governor was among 3 serving governors whose credentials were verified and assessed by the committee. He has now been cleared to contest the APC governorship primary scheduled for May 21, 2026.45
Background and Political Context
Governor Fubara, who has been locked in a protracted political feud with his predecessor, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, obtained his APC Expression of Interest and Nomination forms through proxies. A coalition of Rivers APC stakeholders and elders, led by Hon. Awaji-Inombek Abiante, had earlier purchased and donated the forms to support Fubara’s bid for a second term, citing the need for continuity and development in the state.
The move has heightened political tensions in Rivers State, with Wike’s loyalists reportedly opposing Fubara’s defection to the APC and re-election bid.
Potential Contest
The Rivers APC governorship primary is expected to be keenly contested. Kingsley Chinda, a Wike ally and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, has also been screened and cleared, positioning him as a strong challenger to Fubara for the party ticket.
APC Primaries Timetable
The APC has set the following key dates for its 2027 primaries:
- Governorship primaries: May 21, 2026
- Other National Assembly and State Assembly primaries in phased order around mid-May
The general elections are scheduled for early 2027, with governorship and State Assembly polls on February 6, 2027.