Fresh anxiety has enveloped the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) following uncertainty surrounding the political future of Rivers State Governor, SiminalayiFubara, ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

However, the governor refused to address journalists yesterday after appearing before the APC governorship screening committee at the Plateau State Governors’ Lodge in Abuja.

Meanwhile, Kingsley Chinda, a loyalist to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has been successfully screened and cleared by the APC for its gubernatorial primary election in Rivers.

In the ensuing drama, the Rivers State Government dismissed reports alleging that Fubara was not screened by the APC screening committee for serving governors ahead of the party’s primary election.

Despite the screening, the road still does not seem clear for Chinda, as a legal practitioner and political commentator, Chizy Enyi, called on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to immediately remove him as Minority Leader of the House over allegations that he has defected to APC.

Tension heightened after Fubara abruptly left the venue of the party’s ongoing screening exercise for incumbent governors seeking re-election tickets on the APC platform.

The governor, who arrived at the Plateau Governor’s Lodge in Abuja about 3.15 p.m., spent less than 15 minutes at the exercise before departing the venue in his official convoy under circumstances that immediately sparked widespread speculation within party circles.

Fubara, who appeared visibly gloomy after his interaction with members of the screening panel led by APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, declined to speak with journalists waiting outside the venue.

The action fuelled uncertainty over his chances of securing the party’s backing for a second term, especially amid his protracted political feud with his estranged political benefactor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

There are also speculations within political circles that the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, who is believed to enjoy Wike’s backing, may have quietly participated in the screening process for the Rivers governorship seat.

Although party officials declined to confirm the claim, insiders said Chinda’s alleged screening has intensified permutations over a possible alternative candidate being considered by influential stakeholders within the APC ahead of the 2027 governorship race.

When contacted, the APC National Secretary, Surajudeen Basiru, neither confirmed nor denied reports that the governor encountered difficulties during the screening process.

In stark contrast to the usual protocol, in which committee members traditionally escort governors seeking re-election or senatorial tickets out of the venue, Fubara’s departure was met with silence from the committee. It was reported that the committee members left the room six minutes after Fubara walked out.

Yesterday’s screening session was overseen by APC Deputy National Chairman (North), Ali Dalori.

When asked specifically about Fubara’s screening, Basiru responded: “I don’t know what you mean by ‘screened’. Anyone who appears before the committee does so as a necessary part of the process. Once the committee has seen everyone, it will sit down and produce a report. As of now, there is no report from the screening committee.”

In a related development, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, also appeared before the APC House of Representatives Screening Committee on Sunday as part of his bid for a seat in the National Assembly.

IN an open letter dated May 9, 2026, and addressed to the Speaker, Enyi argued that Chinda could no longer legitimately occupy the office of Minority Leader after reportedly appearing before the APC governorship screening committee as an aspirant on the same day.

The petition, entitled ‘Remove Hon Ogundu Kingsley Chinda as Minority Leader of the House of Representatives or History Will Remember You Negatively Like Jezebel, Judas, Cain, Pharaoh, Delilah or King Herod’, accused Chinda of acting against parliamentary convention and political morality.

According to the letter, the Rivers lawmaker’s alleged participation in the APC governorship screening process amounts to a clear indication that he has joined the ruling party and therefore forfeited his position as leader of the minority caucus in the green chamber.

The petitioner referenced Godswill Akpabio’s political trajectory, noting that the Senate President resigned as Senate Minority Leader in 2018 after defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.

Enyi questioned what he described as a departure from established legislative tradition, asking whether one political party should be allowed to produce both the Majority Leader and Minority Leader of the House simultaneously.

He further accused Chinda of secretly appearing before the APC screening committee while still occupying the seat of Minority Leader under the PDP, describing the development as “an insult to the entire National Assembly.”

As of the time of filing this report, neither Chinda nor the office of the Speaker had officially responded to the petition.

A SOURCE at the Government House, who accompanied the governor to the screening venue in Abuja, described the report as false and misleading.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, disclosed that Fubara arrived at the venue and successfully underwent the screening.

According to him, the governor merely declined to answer journalists’ questions after the exercise.

“The governor only decided not to grant interviews to journalists after the screening. That was all,” the source said.