By Mokobia Rita.
ASABA/Nigeria: The political landscape in Delta State has been thrown into fresh tension following the outcome of the All Progressives Congress, APC, screening exercise for aspirants seeking to contest the 2027 State House of Assembly elections, with dozens of hopefuls disqualified in what party insiders described as one of the toughest internal screening processes in recent years.
Emerging as one of the major political figures cleared for the next stage of the contest is the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly and Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures in Nigeria, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Dennis Guwor, who secured clearance to participate in the APC primary for Warri South-West Constituency.
The screening exercise, which lasted two days at the APC State Secretariat in Asaba, attracted 82 aspirants from constituencies across the state, all battling for the party’s ticket ahead of the anticipated 2027 general elections.
At the end of the exercise, only 46 aspirants were cleared by the committee, while no fewer than 36 others were disqualified over what the panel described as ethical, constitutional and procedural infractions.
According to the official report jointly signed by the Chairman of the Screening Committee, Dr. Uche Uzochukwu, and the Secretary, Dr. Chiedozie Nwafor, the exercise was conducted through what the committee termed a “meticulous and integrity-driven scrutiny process.”
The committee disclosed that several aspirants were screened out over allegations bordering on attempted inducement and bribery of officials, inconsistencies in official records, submission of questionable affidavits and failure to satisfy basic party requirements.
The report further revealed deep concerns over the internal compliance of some aspirants, as several reportedly failed to produce valid Permanent Voter Cards, while others allegedly submitted defective membership slips and irregular nomination documents.
The panel also identified discrepancies in names and dates of birth across documents presented by some aspirants, while questions were reportedly raised over nominators who allegedly failed to show evidence of payment of party dues as stipulated by APC guidelines.
In some constituencies, the committee cited alleged violations of zoning arrangements, warning that disregard for established political understandings could undermine the party’s stability and electoral prospects.
Other aspirants were reportedly disqualified for failing to resign from political appointments within the timeframe prescribed by the Electoral Act, while some allegedly submitted multiple affidavits that triggered concerns over the authenticity of their credentials.
Despite the sweeping disqualifications, several prominent political figures emerged successfully from the exercise.
Apart from Speaker Guwor, 16 serving lawmakers in the current 8th Delta State House of Assembly were cleared to seek reelection on the APC platform, a development observers believe may consolidate the influence of incumbents ahead of the primaries.
Also cleared were three members of the Delta State Executive Council — Funyei Manager from Bomadi, Harry Trakirlowei from Patani and Orode Uduaghan from Warri North — all of whom have now advanced to the next phase of the contest.
Defending the outcome of the exercise, the committee maintained that the process was conducted with fairness, transparency and strict adherence to the APC constitution, electoral guidelines and provisions of the Electoral Act.
“The committee carried out its responsibilities with fairness, diligence, and utmost commitment to the integrity of the party,” the statement noted.
“We ensured that only aspirants who met the constitutional and procedural requirements of the APC were cleared to proceed to the primary election stage.”
The committee further explained that the screening exercise was designed not only as an administrative procedure but also as part of broader efforts to strengthen internal democracy and preserve the credibility of the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
However, the panel advised disqualified aspirants not to lose hope, reminding them that the party’s appeal process remains open for those seeking redress before the Screening Appeal Committee.
Political tension has already heightened across several constituencies as party stakeholders, grassroots mobilisers and competing political blocs intensify consultations ahead of the APC primaries.
For many political observers, the outcome of the screening has sent a strong signal that the battle for 2027 within the Delta APC will be determined not only by popularity and political influence, but also by strict compliance with party rules, documentation and internal discipline.
