The All Progressives Congress (APC) has disqualified several aspirants seeking to contest in the party’s House of Representatives primaries, according to an official document released by the party.

The document, titled “Screened and Disqualified House of Representatives Aspirants,” revealed that 14 aspirants from Ondo, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Kogi and Rivers states were declared “Not Cleared” by the APC screening panel.

Among the prominent aspirants affected is former Deputy Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Arowole Ayodeji Samuel, who was seeking the party’s ticket for the Owo/Ose Federal Constituency. Also disqualified was Hon. Adefisoye Tajudeen, an aspirant for the Idanre/Ifedore Federal Constituency in Ondo State.

Other aspirants from Ondo State who failed to scale the screening process include Olusegun Victor Ategbole and Seun Oluwashina Ajongbolo, both contesting for the Akoko South-East/South-West Federal Constituency. Morufu Tosin Ibrahim, Oseni Oyeniyi and Olaleye John Adedipe, all aspirants for the Akoko North-East/North-West Federal Constituency seat, were also not cleared.

In Bauchi State, Dr. Bashir Ibrahim Bello was disqualified from the race for the Darazo/Ganjuwa Federal Constituency, while Hon. Idu Igariwe was barred from contesting the Afikpo-Edda Federal Constituency seat in Ebonyi State.

Similarly, Sanni Salau Ogembe was disqualified from the Okene/Ogori/Magongo Federal Constituency contest in Kogi State.

In Rivers State, several notable aspirants were also affected by the screening outcome. They include retired Air Commodore John Azubuike Opara, who sought the APC ticket for the Port Harcourt Federal Constituency; Hon. Anderson Allison Igbiki for Okrika/Ogu/Bolo Federal Constituency; Awaji Imombek D. Abirite for Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency; and Hon. Boma Goodhead for the Asari-Toru/Akuku-Toru Federal Constituency.

The document was signed by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka. However, the party did not disclose the reasons for the disqualification of the affected aspirants.

The development is expected to heighten political tensions in several constituencies, particularly in Rivers and Ondo states, where some influential aspirants were excluded from the primaries.