Nigeria, May 17 -- A group of disqualified Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly aspirants has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership of manipulation.

The aggrieved politicians alleged that the screening process was deliberately designed to sideline non-aligned candidates in favour of those reportedly backed by Governor Umo Eno and Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

The aggrieved aspirants, who addressed journalists in Uyo on Thursday under the umbrella of Concerned Disqualified APC House of Assembly Aspirants, claimed they were suddenly declared unqualified despite having previously contested elections and flown the APC flag in earlier polls.

Their protest comes weeks after PREMIUM TIMES reported that Messrs Eno and Akpabi...