The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has rejected calls for the disqualification of its 2027 governorship candidate, Kingsley Chinda.
This was just as the party insisted that the recent Supreme Court judgment does not affect Chinda’s eligibility to contest the election.
Politics Nigeria reports that the controversy followed a judgment delivered by the apex court on September 24, 2026, which reinstated the need for political parties to comply with Section 77(5) and (6) of the Electoral Act.
The provisions require parties to submit their verified membership registers to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at least 21 days before conducting their primary elections.
Chinda, a member of the House of Representatives, registered as an APC member on April 27, 2026, while the party conducted its Rivers governorship primary on May 21.
He subsequently announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and defection to the APC on the floor of the House on June 2, 2026, after emerging as the APC governorship candidate.
The sequence of events has generated legal and political arguments in many quarters over whether Chinda was eligible to participate in the APC primary, particularly given that his formal defection was announced after the primary.
Opponents and some legal commentators have urged INEC to disqualify him from the 2027 governorship contest.
The Association of Legislative Drafting Practitioners also wrote to INEC seeking Chinda’s immediate disqualification following the Supreme Court judgment.
In the letter dated September 26, 2026, and signed by its Executive Secretary, Tonye Clinton Jaja, ALDRAP questioned the status of the APC governorship nomination, the party’s membership records submitted to INEC and the steps required to implement the Supreme Court decision.
Politics Nigeria reports that the group’s position is linked to a suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/972/2026, in which ALDRAP is the plaintiff.
INEC, Abdul Mahmud, APC, the APC National Chairman, Chinda and Mariana Ajibola are listed as respondents in the case.
ALDRAP is asking the court to disqualify Chinda and APC candidates for the Rivers State House of Assembly election.
The group has also raised questions over the composition of the APC Rivers State Governorship and House of Assembly Appeal Committee, alleging that individuals connected to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and serving National Assembly members were included in the committee.
However, the Rivers APC has dismissed the concerns, maintaining that Chinda satisfied the 21-day membership requirement referenced in the Supreme Court judgment.
Speaking on Sunday, the party’s Publicity Secretary, Ikenga Chibike, argued that Chinda had been an APC member for 24 days before the May 21 primary.
“There is no atom of truth in that. They said 21 days, and Hon. Chinda’s timing was 24 days when you calculate it,” Chibike said.
He maintained that the party had no concern over Chinda’s candidacy, adding that the APC was focused on the 2027 election.
“So, we have no challenges with our party candidate. We are praying that the Rainbow Coalition endorsement should be him, then we move on to winning the election,” he said.
