Fresh legal hurdles have emerged against the governorship ambition of Kingsley Chinda after a suit was filed before a Federal High Court in Abuja seeking to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising him as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State ahead of the 2027 election.
Chinda, an ally of Nyesom Wike, emerged as the APC governorship candidate during the party’s primary held on May 21, 2026, following the withdrawal of other aspirants, including Siminalayi Fubara, Tonye Cole and Alabo Dakorinama George-Kelly.
The lawmaker currently represents Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives and serves as Minority Leader on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), despite his emergence as the APC governorship flagbearer.
The suit, filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners, challenges Chinda’s alleged defection from the PDP to the APC, arguing that it contravenes provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 and Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution regarding defection by legislators.
Court documents showed that the suit, instituted on May 12, 2026, also seeks an order declaring Chinda’s seat vacant and compelling the Speaker of the House of Representatives to remove him as Minority Leader over alleged dual party membership.
The plaintiffs further urged the court to direct INEC to conduct a bye-election for the Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency seat, insisting that Chinda forfeited his mandate upon defecting from the PDP.
Also joined in the suit are INEC, the APC, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and George-Kelly.
The plaintiffs equally asked the court to prevent George-Kelly from participating in the APC governorship process on the grounds that he allegedly failed to resign his appointment as Director-General of the Border Communities Development Agency within the stipulated timeline for political appointees seeking elective office.
Although George-Kelly later withdrew from the race, the suit maintains that Chinda’s candidature remains invalid and should not be recognised by INEC pending the determination of the case.
In an affidavit supporting the suit, the association’s Administrative Secretary, Jesse Amuga, argued that Chinda’s continued occupation of legislative office while participating in APC governorship activities was “unlawful and contrary to democratic ethics and constitutional order.”
The plaintiffs further claimed that Chinda ignored warnings from constituents and legal representatives who had, in October 2025, threatened to initiate a recall process should he defect from the PDP to the APC.
