The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State has officially cleared Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Dennis Guwor, and 45 other aspirants for participation in the party’s upcoming Assembly election primaries. The announcement followed a rigorous two-day screening exercise held at the APC Secretariat in Asaba, where 82 candidates presented themselves for evaluation. A screening committee, chaired by Dr. Uche Uzochukwu and with Dr. Chiedozie Nwafor as secretary, released the results in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday.
Out of the 82 aspirants who appeared before the panel, 46 were cleared after thorough verification of their credentials and compliance with party eligibility criteria. The remaining 36 were disqualified due to various irregularities, including alleged attempts to bribe or induce committee members, submission of unsworn affidavits, and failure to produce valid Permanent Voter Cards. Some candidates were also rejected for not providing legitimate APC membership slips, inconsistencies in birth dates, and discrepancies in names across official documents.
Notably, Dennis Guwor is the sole aspirant cleared for the Warri South-West constituency. Among the cleared candidates are 17 serving lawmakers from the Eighth Assembly seeking re-election, as well as three former commissioners: Funyei Manager (Bomadi), Harry Trakirlowei (Patani), and Orode Uduaghan (Warri North). The committee emphasized that some aspirants failed to confirm payment of party dues, while others submitted nomination forms with invalid membership numbers or insufficient ward nominators.
The screening panel also raised concerns about alleged violations of zoning arrangements in certain constituencies, warning that such actions could undermine the party’s performance in the 2027 General Elections. Additionally, some candidates were disqualified for not resigning from political appointments as mandated by the Electoral Act, while others presented multiple or invalid affidavits that failed to accurately disclose their records and certificates.
The committee affirmed that the screening process was conducted transparently and strictly in accordance with APC regulations and the Electoral Act. “The committee carried out its responsibilities with fairness, diligence, and utmost commitment to the integrity of the party,” the statement read. “We ensured that only aspirants who met the constitutional and procedural requirements of the APC were cleared to proceed.”
The exercise is seen as a step toward strengthening internal democracy within the party ahead of the 2027 elections. The committee congratulated the successful aspirants and urged those disqualified not to view the decision as final, reminding them that they may appeal through the party’s Screening Appeal Committee. The APC’s move underscores its commitment to maintaining order and credibility in its nomination processes as it prepares for future electoral contests.
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