In a decisive move ahead of the 2027 general elections, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State has approved the candidacy of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Dennis Guwor, along with 45 other hopefuls for the upcoming assembly primary elections. This announcement came after a rigorous two-day vetting process at the party’s secretariat in Asaba.
The screening committee, chaired by Dr. Uche Uzochukwu with Dr. Chiedozie Nwafor as secretary, released its findings in a statement to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday. A total of 82 aspirants presented themselves before the panel, but only 46 satisfied all requirements after thorough verification of their credentials and eligibility.
Guwor stood out as the sole aspirant cleared for the Warri South-West constituency. Among the successful candidates are 17 current lawmakers of the eighth assembly seeking re-election, as well as three former commissioners: Funyei Manager (Bomadi), Harry Trakirlowei (Patani), and Orode Uduaghan (Warri North).
However, the committee disqualified 36 aspirants for various infractions, including attempts to bribe panel members, submission of unsworn affidavits, failure to present Permanent Voter Cards, and lack of valid APC membership slips. Other reasons included discrepancies in birth dates, name variations in official documents, unpaid party dues, irregular membership numbers, and insufficient ward nominators.
The committee also highlighted violations of zoning agreements in some constituencies, warning that such actions could jeopardize the party’s performance in the 2027 polls. Some aspirants were further faulted for not resigning from political appointments as mandated by the Electoral Act, while others submitted multiple or invalid affidavits that failed to properly disclose relevant facts.
Emphasizing transparency, the committee stated that its work was guided strictly by APC rules and the Electoral Act. “We carried out our duties fairly, diligently, and with utmost commitment to the party’s integrity,” the statement read. “Only those who met constitutional and procedural requirements were cleared.”
The screening aimed to bolster internal democracy within the APC ahead of the 2027 elections. The committee congratulated those who made the cut and encouraged disqualified aspirants to view the decision as non-final, noting that they could appeal through the party’s Screening Appeal Committee.