Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara walked out of an All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship screening committee meeting in Abuja on Sunday [1].
The incident highlights escalating tensions surrounding the Rivers State governorship ticket and the governor's bid for re-election. The sudden departure suggests a breakdown in negotiations or a conflict within the party's screening process.
The meeting took place at the Plateau State Governors' Lodge [2]. According to reports, Fubara left the session after approximately 20 minutes [3].
Journalists waiting outside the venue attempted to get a statement from the governor as he exited. Fubara declined to provide details about the proceedings and shunned the press [4].
"No comment," Fubara said [5].
Observers noted that the governor's exit was abrupt. Some reports described the departure as an angry storm out of the room, while others focused on his refusal to engage with the media [4], [6].
The screening was held May 10, 2026 [7]. The APC screening committee is tasked with vetting candidates for the governorship, but the brevity of Fubara's participation indicates a fraught encounter.
“"No comment"”
The governor's abrupt exit from the APC screening suggests significant friction between the Rivers State leadership and the party's national screening apparatus. In the context of a re-election bid, such a public display of discord often signals a struggle for party control or a disagreement over the terms of the governorship ticket, which could lead to further political instability in the region.
