The House of Representatives witnessed a major political realignment on Tuesday as Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), resigning from his leadership position in the process.
Speaker Abbas Tajudeen announced Chinda’s defection during plenary after reading his letter to the House.
The Rivers State lawmaker, a close ally of Nyesom Wike, recently emerged as the APC’s governorship candidate for the 2027 election in Rivers State following the withdrawal of other aspirants, including Siminalayi Fubara, Tonye Cole and George Kelly. Although he was the sole contestant, party members participated in a confirmation exercise to endorse his candidacy.
The House also recorded several other defections. Lawmakers from Oyo State Anthony Adebayo Adepoju, Adedeji Stanley Olajide, Makanjuola Sunday Ojo, Najimdeen Oyeshina Oyedeji, Folajimi Oyekunle and Abass Adekunle Adigun left the PDP for the Allied Peoples Movement (APM). In addition, Auwalu Abdu Gwalabe of Bauchi State moved from the PDP to the APM, while Etanabene Benedict of Delta State defected from the Labour Party to the PDP.
Meanwhile, a fresh crisis has emerged within the Rivers APC as the reinstated party leadership led by Emeka Beke declared all nominations and decisions arising from the party’s recent primaries null and void.
The development follows a Court of Appeal judgment in Port Harcourt affirming an earlier High Court ruling that invalidated the congresses which produced Tony Okocha as the party’s chairman in Rivers State.
Reacting to the judgment, spokesman of the Beke-led faction, Darlington Nwauju, argued that all actions, communications, nominations and decisions taken by the Okocha-led executive should be regarded as invalid, including the primaries that produced candidates for the 2027 elections.
Nwauju warned that the APC could face legal challenges similar to those experienced in Zamfara State if the issues arising from the court ruling are not urgently addressed. He also called on the party’s National Working Committee to review all primaries conducted under the disputed leadership.
The faction further urged the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission to withdraw certificates of return issued to APC candidates produced by the Okocha-led structure during the 2025 local government elections and instead recognise candidates nominated by the Beke-led executive.
The latest developments have heightened uncertainty within the Rivers APC and could spark fresh legal and political battles over the legitimacy of candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
