The Association of Legislative Drafting Practitioners, ALDRAP, has written to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, seeking the disqualification of Kingsley Chinda as the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate in Rivers State for the 2027 election. This request follows a suit pending before an Abuja Federal High Court, where ALDRAP is the plaintiff and INEC, Abdul Mahmud, APC, APC National Chairman, Chinda, and Mariana Ajibola are listed as respondents. The suit, numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/972/2026, challenges Chinda's eligibility due to alleged bias in the APC Rivers State Governorship and House of Assembly Appeal Committee.
ALDRAP's suit claims that the APC Rivers State Governorship and House of Assembly Appeal Committee was populated by Chinda's friends and colleagues, who are members of the House of Representatives in the National Assembly. The plaintiff argues that this constitutes bias and a violation of the constitutional right to a fair hearing, as guaranteed under Section 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution. ALDRAP is seeking a declaration that the appointment of Mahmud and Ajibola as chairmen of the APC Rivers State House of Assembly screening and appeal committees, respectively, was biased due to their longstanding political and personal relationship with Chinda.
The Supreme Court of Nigeria recently upheld INEC's authority regarding provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, in a judgment delivered on September 24, 2026. A seven-member panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Adamu Jauro, set aside an earlier Court of Appeal decision and affirmed that sections 77(5) and 84 of the Electoral Act 2026 are constitutional and do not conflict with the 1999 Constitution. This judgment has implications for the eligibility of Chinda as the APC governorship candidate in Rivers State.
In its letter to INEC, ALDRAP requested the electoral commission to convene an out-of-court settlement meeting between parties in the suit towards the resolution of the issues in line with the implications of the recent Supreme Court judgment. ALDRAP believes that an early resolution through constructive engagement would avoid unnecessary multiplicity of proceedings and assist INEC in maintaining certainty, transparency, and compliance with the Constitution and applicable electoral legislation.
The letter addressed to the Chairman of INEC, requested an urgent meeting with ALDRAP and the relevant representatives of the APC and Hon. Kingsley Chinda, to achieve an out-of-court settlement and lawful administrative resolution of the issues arising from the pending proceedings and the Supreme Court judgment. ALDRAP emphasized that the proposed engagement is not intended to invite INEC to disregard or undermine the judgment of the Supreme Court.
ALDRAP's action was brought pursuant to the constitutional right to a fair hearing guaranteed under Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended). The Association considers this matter especially important, given the fact that it had previously instituted proceedings before the Federal High Court, Abuja, in which INEC is the 1st Respondent, Hon. Abdul Mahmud is the 2nd Respondent, and Hon. Kingsley Ogundu Chinda is the 5th Respondent.
The case has significant implications for the 2027 election in Rivers State, as ALDRAP's request for Chinda's disqualification could affect the APC's governorship candidature. The outcome of the suit and the proposed meeting between ALDRAP, INEC, and the APC will be crucial in determining the status of Chinda's nomination and the applicable membership-register requirements.
Key points
- ALDRAP seeks Kingsley Chinda's disqualification as APC governorship candidate in Rivers State due to alleged bias in the APC Rivers State Governorship and House of Assembly Appeal Committee.
