The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has dismissed concerns over the eligibility of its 2027 governorship candidate, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, following a recent judgment by the Supreme Court.
DAILY POST reports that the judgment, delivered by the apex court on September 24, 2026, has sparked a legal debate over the implications of the decision for Chinda’s candidacy.
The Supreme Court, in the judgment, emphasised 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.
The development has prompted questions over whether the judgment could affect Chinda’s eligibility to contest the 2027 Rivers State governorship election on the platform of the APC.
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DAILY POST reports that Chinda, a member of the House of Representatives, registered with the APC on April 27, 2026.
He, however, formally announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and defection to the APC on the floor of the House of Representatives 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.
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.
There have been calls on social media platforms for the electoral umpire to immediately disqualify Chinda, a loyalist of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
ALDRAP writes INEC, seeks Chinda’s disqualification
Following the Supreme Court judgment, the Association of Legislative Drafting Practitioners, ALDRAP, wrote to INEC, seeking the immediate disqualification of Chinda from the 2027 governorship race.
The request was contained in a letter dated September 26, 2026, and signed by ALDRAP’s 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.
In the suit, numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/972/2026, ALDRAP is asking the Abuja Federal High Court to disqualify Chinda and APC candidates for the Rivers State House of Assembly election.
The group raised concerns over the composition of the APC Rivers State Governorship and House of Assembly Appeal Committee, alleging that it was populated by Wike’s friends and Chinda’s colleagues who are members of the National Assembly.
In its letter to INEC, ALDRAP also questioned the status of the APC governorship nomination, the applicable membership-register requirements, records submitted to the electoral commission by the party and the steps required to give effect to the Supreme Court judgment.
‘We have no issues with our candidate’ — APC
Reacting to the controversy on Sunday, the APC Publicity Secretary in Rivers State, Ikenga Chibike, dismissed the concerns and said the party had no issue with Chinda’s candidacy.
Speaking with 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.
“There is no atom of truth in that. They said 21 days, and Hon. Chinda’s timing was 24 days when you calculate it.
“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,” Ikenga said.
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