Siminalayi’s success in the governorship primary comes barely 24 hours after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) declared him and four other Rivers State government officials wanted for suspected N117 billion fraud, alleged criminal conspiracy, money laundering, misappropriation of public funds, and abuse of office.
The Rivers State Accountant General, Fubara Siminialayi has emerged as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 general elections.
Siminalayi’s success in the governorship primary comes barely 24 hours after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) declared him and four other Rivers State government officials wanted for suspected N117 billion fraud, alleged criminal conspiracy, money laundering, misappropriation of public funds, and abuse of office.
“We call on anyone with useful information as to the whereabouts of the Account-General to contact any of the Agency’s offices or the nearest police station or other security agencies,” EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren had said in a statement.
Siminialayi is reported to be Governor Nyesome Wike’s anointed candidate for the 2023 governorship election.
In the primary election held in Port Harcourt, he defeated nine other aspirants to win the election after polling 721 out of the 980 votes cast.
Party delegates from the 23 local government areas of the state who arrived at the Obi Wali International Conference Centre in Port Harcourt, the venue of the primary, on Wednesday morning completed accreditation at about 2pm, but voting did not commence till around 6:10pm.
The Chairman of the electoral committee, Prof. Walter Mboto, led three others to announce the result of the election.
Other aspirants that participated in the primaries are former deputy governor, Tele Ikuru; Felix Obuah, immediate past Chairman of PDP in the state; Dr. Tammy Danagogo, Secretary to the State Government; George Kelly, Special Adviser to Governor Wike on Projects and Dr. Abiye Sekibo, former Minister of Transportation.
Meanwhile, some of the aspirants, including Danagogo, Sekibo, former senator, Lee Maeba, Gabriel Pidomson and Obuah boycotted the exercise despite commencing the process.