The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has started screening of incumbent governors ahead of the 2027 general election, with Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, Ebonyi Governor Francis Nwifuru and Kwara Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq said to be absent at the exercise on Saturday.
The screening exercise is being conducted by a committee presided over by APC national chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, while national secretary of the party, Surajudeen Basiru, is serving as secretary.
Speaking at the event, Yilwatda stated that the three governors were absent because of official engagements in their respective states.
“When you have three governors that have not appeared, all of them have their excuses and their reasons why they’re not appearing,” he said.
“And we know that they are chief executives of their states, and they have state issues to attend to.”
The national chairman of the ruling party noted that the committee allowed the governors because of the responsibilities attached to their offices.
“So any governor who has state issues to attend to, the governor of Kwara says he has state issues to attend to, we excused him,” he said.
“Governor of Ebonyi state says he has state issues to attend to, we excused him. Governor of Rivers state says he has state issues to attend to, we excused him.”
The APC chairman said the governors would be screened whenever they make themselves available.
“And we said, they are chief executives. They are field soldiers. They are commanders, field commanders,” he said.
“Anytime you’re free, call the screening committee. We give you a room. You come at your will and your convenience, and we also screen you.”
So far, the committee has screened Abba Yusuf of Kano, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe, Nasir Idris of Kebbi, Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau, and Hyacinth Alia of Benue.
Others were Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, Umar Bago of Niger, Dauda Lawal of Zamfara, Bassey Otu of Cross River, and Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto.
