By Suleiman Anyalewechi
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, angrily made his way out of the Abuja venue of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Screening Committee.
Governor Fubara had arrived the screening venue at about 3 pm.on Sunday ,but was seen furiously leaving just a few minutes after, with not a few observers perceiving the situation as signposting a possible disagreement between the Governor and the screening Committee.
The Source reports that , Governor Fubara was conspicuously missing during Saturday’s screening exercise which saw his challenger Hon Kingsley Chinda ,a serving member of the House of Representatives,and a staunch ally of the Governor’s estranged godfather, Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory FCT Minister cleared by the committee.
Speculations have been rife linking Wike to the gubernatorial ambition of Chinda ,who represents Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency of Rivers state at the National Assembly..
Chinda is strongly believed to be one of the preferred candidates lined up by the FCT Minister to frustrate the return bid of Fubara who he had earlier vowed not allow to secure a second term in office.
The National Chairman of the APC, Prof Nentawe Yilwaltda, had in addressing concerns raised by the absence of Fubara at Saturday’s screening exercise , informed that Governors Fubara, and his Kwara and Ebonyi states counterparts- AbdulRaham AbdulRazaq and Francis Nwifuru respectively were excused owing to pressing official engagements.
He, however, assured that the three Governors will be taking their turns in the screening exercise, whenever they signal the intention to do so.
” Any Governor who has issues to attend to, we understand.
” The Governor of Kwara said he has issues to attend to ,so we excused him. The Governor of Rivers also said he has issues to attend to, and we equally excused him.
“We know that they are Chief Executives; they are commanders in their states. Anytime, they are free, let them call the screening Committee and we will give them room. They can come at own will” Yilwaltda stated .
Although Fubara did not speak with the press on what actually transpired between him and the committee, there are widespread insinuations suggesting that the committee may have refused to screen him, a development that forced him to storm out angrily.
But responding to the speculations, the National Secretary of APC Ajibola Bashir, who is also the screening Committee secretary urged everyone to wait for the official report of the committee.
” I don’t know what you mean by screening and or not screening because I am aware that appearing before the committee is part of the screening exercise.
” It is natural that everybody must appear before the screening Committee. Of course, it is a necessary part of the process. After the exercise, the Screening Committee will issue it’s report” Bashir noted .
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