The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has addressed concerns over the eligibility of its 2027 governorship candidate, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, following a recent Supreme Court judgment. The judgment, delivered on September 24, 2026, emphasized compliance with Section 77(5) and (6) of the Electoral Act, which requires political parties to submit their verified register of members 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 with the APC on April 27, 2026, and formally announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and defection to the APC on June 2, 2026. His announced defection at the Green Chamber came after he had been declared the winner of the APC primary election conducted on May 21, 2026. Some political opponents and legal commentators have argued that, as a serving lawmaker, Chinda’s formal defection should be regarded as having taken effect on the date it was announced on the floor of the House.
The Supreme Court judgment has sparked a legal debate over the implications of the decision for Chinda’s candidacy. Some have questioned whether the judgment could affect Chinda’s eligibility to contest the 2027 Rivers State governorship election on the platform of the APC. The Association of Legislative Drafting Practitioners, ALDRAP, has written to INEC, seeking the immediate disqualification of Chinda from the 2027 governorship race.
ALDRAP’s request was contained in a letter dated September 26, 2026, and signed by its Executive Secretary, Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja. The development is connected to a suit pending before the Abuja Federal High Court, in which ALDRAP is the plaintiff, while INEC, Abdul Mahmud, APC, the APC National Chairman, Chinda, and Mariana Ajibola are listed as respondents.
The APC Publicity Secretary in Rivers State, Ikenga Chibike, has dismissed the concerns and said the party had no issue with Chinda’s candidacy. Speaking with the Daily Post, Chibike noted that the Supreme Court judgment requires a candidate to have been a member of a political party for at least 21 days before its primary, adding that Chinda registered with the APC 24 days before the party’s primary election was conducted.
According to Chibike, there is no atom of truth in the allegations against Chinda’s candidacy. He said, “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.” The party appears confident in Chinda’s eligibility to contest the 2027 Rivers State governorship election.
The controversy surrounding Chinda’s candidacy is connected to the Supreme Court’s emphasis on compliance with the Electoral Act. The outcome of this issue may have implications for Chinda’s participation in the 2027 election and the APC’s chances in the state.
Key points
- The APC has dismissed concerns over the eligibility of its 2027 governorship candidate, Hon. Kingsley Chinda.
- The Supreme Court judgment emphasized compliance with Section 77(5) and (6) of the Electoral Act.
- ALDRAP has sought the disqualification of Chinda from the 2027 governorship race.
