Governor Siminalayi Fubara's re-election ambitions hit a rough patch on Sunday in Abuja. He walked out of the APC screening venue after just 20 minutes.
Fubara arrived at the Plateau Governor's Lodge around 3pm on Sunday. Other sitting governors had completed their screening the day before without incident.
Sources at the venue say his face showed visible anger as he exited the screening room. He refused to speak with waiting journalists about how things went.
When reporters pressed him for details, he offered only two words: "No comment." His distressed demeanor made clear something had gone wrong.
Protocol typically sees screening committee members escort governors out of the venue as a sign of respect. This courtesy wasn't extended to Fubara on Sunday.
Committee members left the room six minutes after his departure. Ali Dalori, the APC Deputy National Chairman (North), presided over Sunday's session.
The governor's rocky appearance comes amid an ongoing feud with his political mentor, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike. The two have been at odds for months.
Reports suggest Wike wants to replace Fubara with Hon. Kingsley Chinda, the House Minority Leader.
Chinda represents Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency.
Unconfirmed claims allege one of Wike's sons is being groomed for Chinda's seat. Chinda was reportedly the first person screened for the APC governorship ticket on Saturday.
APC National Secretary Senator Ajibola Basiru addressed the controversy after Sunday's proceedings. He downplayed talk of successful screening for anyone.
According to him, appearing before the committee is merely part of the process. "Once the committee has seen everyone, they will sit down and produce a report," Basiru noted.
He emphasized that no screening report had been finalized as of that moment. The committee still had work ahead before making formal determinations.
On Saturday, APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda had explained Fubara's initial absence differently. Official state business had kept him away, the chairman claimed.
Yilwatda cautioned against singling out the Rivers governor. He noted that the governors of Kwara and Ebonyi also missed Saturday's session for legitimate reasons.
In his words, governors are chief executives with urgent pressing matters. All three had valid explanations for their absence from screening.
The national chairman stressed party flexibility regarding executive schedules. "Anytime they are free, they can call the committee and we will screen them at their convenience," he'd said on Saturday.
Yet Sunday's dramatic walkout suggests tensions run deeper than scheduling conflicts. The gesture of non-escort spoke volumes about Fubara's standing with party leadership.
Political observers see the incident as significant for the 2027 race. How the APC handles this internal dispute could reshape Rivers State politics.
