The All Progressives Congress in Rivers State has disqualified Senator Ipalibo Banigo and three other aspirants ahead of the party’s primaries, a decision that could deepen internal tension in the state chapter before the 2027 elections.
Banigo, who represents Rivers West Senatorial District, was listed among aspirants not cleared after the party’s screening exercise. Others affected were former Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Tammy Wenike Danagogo; former Rivers APC chairman, Ojukaye Flag Amachree; and businessman and former APC presidential aspirant, Tein Jack-Rich.
The Rivers APC Publicity Secretary, Chibike Ikenga, confirmed the screening outcome in a statement. The party urged aspirants and members to take note of the decision and comply with the final list released ahead of the primaries.
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The APC did not state the specific grounds for disqualifying the four aspirants. It was also not immediately clear whether all the affected aspirants would appeal the decision or accept the screening outcome.
Those cleared to participate in the exercise include Senator Allwell Onyesoh of Rivers East Senatorial District, Felix Obua, Barry Mwara and Osarosaka Ebenezer.
The exclusion of Banigo and Jack-Rich is likely to attract attention because both are linked to Rivers West. Banigo is a former Deputy Governor of Rivers State and one of the few women in the Senate. She defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APC in March, saying her decision followed consultations with her constituents and political associates.
Jack-Rich, an oil and gas businessman, had earlier entered the Rivers West senatorial race under the APC. Reports said he submitted his expression of interest and nomination forms and asked the party not to sideline long-standing members in favour of new defectors.
His disqualification has already drawn protest from some APC support groups. The Conference of APC Support Groups condemned the decision, describing it as unfair and warning that it could hurt party unity ahead of the primaries and the 2027 general elections.
The affected aspirants, apart from Jack-Rich’s supporters, had not made major public statements on the decision at the time of filing this report.
The development comes during a sensitive period in Rivers politics. The APC has witnessed a wave of new alignments, while the rivalry among major political blocs in the state continues to shape preparations for the next election cycle. Recent reports on Rivers APC screening exercises also showed that several aspirants were disqualified in state and federal legislative contests, with party officials citing screening outcomes and party guidelines.
For the APC, the immediate test is whether it can manage the fallout from the screening without creating deeper cracks among old members, new entrants and rival support groups. For the disqualified aspirants, the next step will determine whether the matter ends as an internal party decision or becomes another flashpoint in Rivers politics.
Attention now shifts to the primaries and the response of those affected. The outcome could shape the party’s strength, unity and candidate selection strategy in Rivers State ahead of 2027.
