The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected calls for the disqualification of its 2027 governorship candidate, Kingsley Chinda, following renewed controversy over his eligibility to contest the election.
The party maintained that the recent Supreme Court judgment on political party membership registers does not affect Chinda’s candidacy, insisting that he met the requirement relied upon by those challenging his nomination.
The controversy followed a Supreme Court judgment delivered on September 24, 2026, which restored provisions of the Electoral Act requiring political parties to submit verified membership registers to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of their primary elections.
The relevant provisions require parties to submit their verified membership registers to INEC at least 21 days before conducting primary elections.
Chinda, a member of the House of Representatives, emerged as the APC’s Rivers governorship candidate after the party’s primary held on May 21, 2026.
Records cited in the controversy indicate that Chinda registered as an APC member on April 27, 2026, while the primary election was conducted on May 21.
His formal defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC was subsequently announced on the floor of the House of Representatives on June 2. However, the defection letter was dated April 23, a detail that has become part of the legal arguments surrounding his eligibility.
The Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP) has called on INEC to review the circumstances surrounding Chinda’s nomination and consider his disqualification.
The group linked its position to the Supreme Court judgment and has also raised questions about the APC membership records submitted to the electoral commission.
ALDRAP is pursuing a related case before the Federal High Court in Abuja, where it is challenging aspects of the process surrounding the APC’s Rivers governorship nomination.
However, the Rivers APC has dismissed the concerns.
The party’s Publicity Secretary, Ikenga Chibike, said Chinda had been an APC member for 24 days before the May 21 primary, exceeding the 21-day period being cited by those calling for his disqualification.
“There is no atom of truth in that,” Chibike said, maintaining that the party had no concerns about the eligibility of its candidate.
The APC spokesman also said the party remained focused on preparations for the 2027 election.
The controversy has placed renewed attention on the relationship between party membership requirements, the submission of membership registers and the eligibility of candidates to participate in party primaries.
It has also highlighted the legal significance of the Supreme Court’s recent decision, particularly for political parties whose candidates emerged from primaries conducted under the disputed provisions.
While the APC maintains that Chinda complied with the applicable requirements, the group challenging his candidacy has continued to seek clarification from INEC and the courts.
The Supreme Court judgment itself did not specifically order the disqualification of Chinda, and reports on the matter have noted that the legal dispute over his candidacy remains separate from the broader interpretation and application of the Electoral Act provisions.
With the 2027 Rivers governorship election approaching, the controversy is expected to remain before the relevant legal and electoral authorities as the parties involved seek clarification on Chinda’s eligibility.
For now, the Rivers APC continues to recognise Chinda as its governorship candidate and has rejected claims that the Supreme Court judgment has invalidated his nomination.
