SHOCKING!!😱 FUBARA SKIPS SCREENING APC. Here's Why

Hinzugefügt: 2026-05-16

[00:00:00]Good morning Nigeria, good morning Africa.

[00:00:03]Good morning to every citizen watching from the diaspora. This is Newsroom Nigeria and today we are going deep way beyond the headlines into one of our politically charged moments rocking Nigeria's ruling party, the All Progressives Congress.

[00:00:21]If you've been following Nigerian politics and if you're watching this channel, I know you have, you've heard about the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has just made a statement that has political analysts, party stewards, and ordinary citizens asking serious questions.

[00:00:42]Why? Because three sitting governors, Rivers, Kwara, and Ebonyi, did not appear before the party's screening subcommittee.

[00:00:51]And rather than express concern, the National Chairman defended them.

[00:00:57]He said, and I quote, "Why are you singling out one governor out of many?

[00:01:04]He is not here, but why single him alone?

[00:01:09]The governor of Kwara has not come also.

[00:01:12]So, three governors have not come. All of them have their excuses and reasons for not appearing. We know they are chief executive of their states and have state issues to attend to.

[00:01:25]Now, before we unpack what this really means for the APC, for Nigeria's 2027 elections, and for the very idea of internal party democracy, we need to do something critical.

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[00:02:12]Welcome back. So, let's begin.

[00:02:15]First, let's ground ourselves. What exactly is this screening subcommittee everyone is talking about?

[00:02:26]The All Progressives Congress, like most major political parties in Nigeria, has an internal vetting process for aspirants seeking the party's ticket for elections.

[00:02:38]This isn't unique to Nigeria. It's standard practice in democratic parties worldwide.

[00:02:44]But in Nigeria's contest, where party primaries as historically flashpoints for controversies, the screening process carries extraordinary weight.

[00:02:56]For the 2027 general election cycle, the APC constituted screening panels chaired by the national chairman himself, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda. These panels are tasked with evaluating the eligibility, credibility, and visibility of aspirants, whether they are running for National Assembly, governorship, or even seeking re-election as sitting governors.

[00:03:24]Now, here is where it gets interesting.

[00:03:27]The screening isn't just a formality.

[00:03:29]It's supposed to be a moment of accountability, a chance for the party to ask, "Have you delivered? Are you aligned with our values? Do you represent the new renewed open agenda?"

[00:03:43]But what happens when the people being screened, the sitting governors, or less, don't even show up?

[00:03:52]And what happens when the party's leader doesn't just excuse the absence but defends it?

[00:03:59]This is not a minor procedural question.

[00:04:02]This goes to the heart of party discipline, internal democracy, and the balance of power between state governors and the national party structure.

[00:04:14]Let's focus on the governor whose absence sparked the most conversation, Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State.

[00:04:22]To understand why Fubara's screening matters, we have to understand the political earthquake that is Rivers State's politics.

[00:04:31]Siminalayi Fubara didn't just wake up one morning and decide to skip party meeting. His journey to this moment is a masterclass in Nigerian political realignment.

[00:04:43]He was handpicked by Nyesom Wike as his successor in 2023, but within months, that relationship collapsed spectacularly.

[00:04:54]By late 2023, Rivers State was engulfed in crisis, lawmakers defected, impeachment attempts flew, the federal government declared a state of emergency, and at the center of it all, a bitter struggle over who controls the party structure of Nigeria's oil-rich powerhouse.

[00:05:16]Then came December 2025, Fubara made a move that reshaped the political map. He defected to the APC, the same party his estranged and strangled godfather Wike had left to join the PDP.

[00:05:34]Overnight, Fubara wasn't just Rivers State's governor, he was the APC's standard-bearer in the South-South.

[00:05:43]But here's the rub.

[00:05:45]Defection is one thing, consolidation is another.

[00:05:50]When Fubara joined the APC, he didn't automatically switch Wike's political mercenary.

[00:05:56]In fact, many of the local government structures, party executives, and grassroots operatives in Rivers still owe allegiance to Wike.

[00:06:06]So, when the APC's screening committee called for governors to appear, Fubara's absence wasn't just about state matters, it was a signal No, a state a statement a negotiation.

[00:06:19]And that's exactly why Chairman Yari Wada's defense matters. When he says governors are chief executives, they are commanders. Anytime you are free, you call the screening committee, we give you a room, you come at your will and convenient It's not just making an excuse, it's acknowledging a party reality. In Nigeria, governors, especially in states like Rivers, wield enormous power.

[00:06:50]And the national party must sometimes accommodate, not command.

[00:06:56]If this analysis is giving you clarity on the complex dance of Nigerian politics, do also favor hit that like button. You see that thumbs up button below? Yes, click on it. That is the only way you can show support to this channel. Also, share this video with someone who needs to understand what's really happening in Rivers State. And if you haven't already to Newsroom Nigeria, now is that time. We break down the stories that matter with depth, with context, without the noise.

[00:07:25]Now, Chairman Yari Wada was careful to note Fubara wasn't alone. The governors of Kwara and Ebonyi also didn't appear.

[00:07:36]Why does this matter? Because it shifts the narrative from Fubara problem to systemic question.

[00:07:43]Let's look at Kwara first. Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has been navigating a delicate consensual building process within the Kwara APC ahead of 2027.

[00:07:56]The state has a strong traditional political zoning and rotational leadership.

[00:08:03]Any misstep in the screening process could upset that balance.

[00:08:08]Then there is Ebonyi, a state with its own complex internal dynamics, where party loyalty and personal ambition often collide.

[00:08:20]The point chairman Yemi Osinbajo was making, and it's a valid one, is this: "If you're going to question why one governor didn't show up, you have to ask why three didn't.

[00:08:32]And more importantly, what does their collective absence say about relationship between state executive and the national party?"

[00:08:43]This isn't the first time APC governors have had a complicated relationship with screening.

[00:08:49]In 2022, ahead of the 2023 elections, the party screened over 145 governorship aspirants.

[00:08:58]Some sat, governors breezed through, others faced tough questions. The process was never perfectly neutral because politics never is.

[00:09:10]But what's different now is the public framing.

[00:09:14]By openly defending the governors' absence, the national leadership is settling setting a precedent that screening is flexible, that governors' schedule take priority, that the process serves the governors' strategic interests, not just procedural purity.

[00:09:34]Now, let's zoom out a bit.

[00:09:36]Why should you, the viewer, care about whether three governors showed up for for an internal party meeting?

[00:09:45]Because this screening isn't just about paperwork. It's about the 2027 general elections, and 2027 isn't just another election circle. It's the first major electoral test for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's second term ambitions.

[00:10:01]The APC currently governs 31 out of Nigeria's 36 states. Maintaining that dominance requires more than just incumbency.

[00:10:11]It requires cohesive party structures, credible candidates, and critical internal legitimacy.

[00:10:20]When governors skip screening, it raises questions.

[00:10:24]Are they being given special treatment?

[00:10:27]Does the party lack the authority to compel compliance?

[00:10:33]Or is this a calculated strategy to avoid public confrontations that could fracture the party ahead of ahead of 2027 elections?

[00:10:45]Chairman Yemi Osinbajo's answer seemed to be, "It's strategy. We excuse him. You come at your will and convenience, and we will screen you."

[00:10:57]But strategy has consequences.

[00:10:59]When party rules appear flexible for the powerful, it erodes trust among the rank and file.

[00:11:06]When governors operate with near autonomy, it weakens the national party's coordinating power.

[00:11:13]And when internal democracy is perceived as optional, it fuels the very cynicism that drives voter apathy.

[00:11:23]Political analysts have noted that Fubara's screening, when it eventually happens, will be closely watched as a barometer of a standing within APC his recent appearance before the committee described as a bow and bow and go reception suggest the party is keen to consolidate his proposition ahead of primaries.

[00:11:50]But consolidation isn't the same as consensual and in Nigerian politics the difference can determine who wins and who gets left behind.

[00:12:02]Let's get to the heart of it.

[00:12:05]What does this moment tell us about Nigerian democracy?

[00:12:09]It tells us that political parties in Nigeria are not just vehicles for elections. They are arenas of power negotiation.

[00:12:17]The APC screening committee isn't just checking boxes. It's managing relationships between the center and the states, between incumbents and aspirants, between strategy and principle.

[00:12:32]Is Chairman Adam's defense of the absence of absent governors pragmatic politics? Absolutely. Governors are busy. States do have urgent matters and rigid adherence to procedure can sometimes undermine broader political objectives.

[00:12:50]But is he also a risk?

[00:12:53]Undeniably. When party rules bend too easily for the powerful, it sets a precedent that weakens institutional integrity.

[00:13:04]When convenient becomes the standard for accountability, it erodes the very idea of internal party democracy.

[00:13:14]Civil society voices have warned that the pre-election period is often the hottest phase of political competition.

[00:13:22]The real test of the APC and for Nigerian democracy won't be whether governors show up for screening, it would be whether the party can manage its internal diversity without sacrificing its democratic credentials.

[00:13:36]And that test isn't just for politicians, it's for all of us because democracy isn't something that happens to us, it's something we participate in by staying informed, by asking hard questions, by demanding accountability at every level.

[00:13:55]So, where does this leave us?

[00:13:57]The APC's screening saga sends out on Rivers, Kwara, and Ebonyi is more than a procedural footnote. It's a window into how power operates in our current ruling party.

[00:14:10]It reveals the tension between national strategy and state autonomy.

[00:14:15]It highlights the delicate dance of managing ambitious governors while preparing for a high-stakes election.

[00:14:23]As we move closer to 2027, watch these dynamics closely because how the APC handles its internal processes will shape not just who gets the party's ticket, but how Nigerians view the legitimacy of the entire electoral system.

[00:14:41]If this deep dive helped you understand the layers behind today's headlines, I need you to do three things. One, like this video. It shows YouTube this content matters and so therefore you're able to recommend it to other YouTube viewers all around the world. Two, subscribe to Newsroom Nigeria and hit the bell because we are just getting started on unpacking Nigeria's political future.

[00:15:05]Three, comment below. Do you think governors should be held should be held to the same screening standards as other aspirants, or does the executive rule justify flexibility?

[00:15:18]I read every comment and your perspective shapes our next analysis.

[00:15:25]From Port Harcourt straight lorry from Abakaliki to Abuja, a story of Nigerian democracy is being written in real time.

[00:15:35]Stay informed. Stay engaged. Stay with Newsroom Nigeria.

[00:15:39]I'm your host as always, Oluwayomi Temilola. This has been Newsroom Nigeria. We don't just report the news, we help you understand it. Good night, Nigeria. Good night, Africa. And remember, your voice matters. Thank you very much for always listening and watching. I will see you all in my next one. Bye for now.