Jelili Gbadamosi
The 2027 Rivers State governorship race has entered a fresh legal phase following a Supreme Court judgment on political party membership requirements and a subsequent request for a review of the All Progressives Congress, APC, ticket held by Hon. Kingsley Chinda.
The controversy centres on whether Chinda met the statutory requirements for party membership and participation in a primary election after the Supreme Court restored provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 relating to party membership registers and candidate nomination.
A seven-member panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Adamu Jauro, on September 24 upheld the validity of Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026. The judgment set aside an earlier Court of Appeal decision that had invalidated the provisions.
Following the ruling, the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners, ALDRAP, approached the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, over Chinda’s nomination.
In a letter dated September 26, ALDRAP asked INEC to examine the implications of the Supreme Court judgment for Chinda’s candidature. The association also requested an urgent meeting involving the commission, the APC and the candidate to explore an out-of-court resolution.
The development is connected to a pending case before the Federal High Court in Abuja, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/972/2026, in which ALDRAP is challenging aspects of the APC’s Rivers State screening and nomination process.
The association has questioned the composition of the APC Rivers State screening and appeal committees and alleged relationships between some committee members and Chinda. ALDRAP argues that the circumstances raised concerns about the impartiality of the screening process. The claims remain allegations before the court and have not been established as findings.
Chinda joined the APC in April 2026 and emerged as the party’s governorship candidate after its primary election on May 21. His formal defection from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was subsequently announced on the floor of the House of Representatives on June 2.
The timing of his APC registration and the party primary has since become central to the debate over his eligibility.
However, the Rivers State APC has rejected claims that the Supreme Court judgment automatically invalidated Chinda’s candidacy.
The party’s Publicity Secretary, Ikenga Chibike, said Chinda met the 21-day membership requirement referenced in the Electoral Act. He argued that the candidate had been an APC member for 24 days before the party conducted its governorship primary.
“There is no atom of truth in that,” Ikenga told newsman insisting that the party had no issue with its candidate’s eligibility.
The dispute therefore remains focused on the interpretation and application of the restored electoral provisions to Chinda’s nomination, as well as the outcome of the pending court proceedings.
With the 2027 election approaching, attention is now on INEC and the courts to determine whether the Supreme Court judgment carries any administrative or legal consequences for the Rivers APC governorship ticket.
