The All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared winners of its House of Representatives primary elections across the 13 federal constituencies in Rivers State, with Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, emerging among the successful candidates.
The primaries, conducted on Saturday, produced several loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, as candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Earlier, the APC had disqualified four aspirants aligned with Governor Siminalayi Fubara, including three serving members of the House of Representatives, while clearing 20 others to participate in the primaries.
The results were announced at the APC secretariat in Port Harcourt by Wahab Owokoniran, chairman of the State APC House of Representatives Primary Election Committee and Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University of Transportation, Daura, Katsina State.
Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), including Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner Johnson Sinikiem, were present during the collation and announcement of results.
Amaewhule wins unopposed
Amaewhule emerged as the APC candidate for Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency 1 as the sole aspirant, polling 17,968 votes.
“In this case, we only have one aspirant, Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule. He scored 17,968 votes,” Owokoniran said.
“Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule having satisfied the requirements of the APC constitution and guidelines and scored the highest number of votes, is hereby declared the winner of the primary election and returned elected as the party’s House of Representatives candidate for Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency.”
Other results
In Port Harcourt Federal Constituency 1, Igwe Precious, who contested unopposed, polled 5,885 votes to secure the party ticket.
For Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency, serving lawmaker Dumnamene Dekor scored 17,073 votes to defeat Israel Ngbuelo, who polled 1,220 votes.
Cyril Hart won the Degema-Bonny Federal Constituency primary with 7,203 votes, defeating Philemon Tombodiea, who scored 1,020 votes.
In Eleme/Tai/Oyigbo Federal Constituency, Felix Nweke, the sole aspirant, polled 18,605 votes to emerge winner.
For Akuku-Toru/Asari-Toru Federal Constituency, Isobo Solomon secured 11,303 votes to defeat Luke Enerine, who garnered 954 votes.
Other winners included:
Chukwuemele Obuzor — Ahoada West/Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Federal Constituency (15,626 votes)
Fredrick Apiafi — Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency (8,550 votes)
Chibuzor Nwamaka — Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency (10,414 votes)
Joy Nyebuchi — Ikwerre/Emuoha Federal Constituency (13,704 votes)
Blessing Amadi — Port Harcourt Constituency 2 (5,674 votes)
Linda Steward — Okrika/Ogu-Bolo Federal Constituency (12,247 votes)
Solomon Bob — Abua-Odual/Ahoada East Federal Constituency (16,079 votes)
APC praises peaceful conduct
Speaking after the exercise, Owokoniran described the primaries as peaceful and orderly.
“We have declared 13 out of 13 federal constituency results. We want to let the whole world know that the election was conducted in a very peaceful atmosphere,” he said.
He expressed surprise that the exercise was conducted without violence despite widespread perceptions that Rivers State is politically volatile.
“Surprisingly, myself, I was disappointed there was no form of violence,” he added.
The APC Publicity Secretary in Rivers State, Chibike Ikenga, also commended party members for the peaceful conduct of the primaries and urged victorious aspirants to remain humble.
“That you have won today doesn’t mean you have won the general election,” Ikenga said.
He added that the party would work to reconcile aggrieved aspirants and strengthen unity ahead of the 2027 elections.
Observers noted that most of the successful candidates are members of the “Rainbow Coalition” or “Joint Coalition” — a political alignment associated with Wike and aimed at mobilising support across APC and PDP structures for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in Rivers State.