By George OPARA
Another twist of political crisis has sparked off in Rivers state as a group of legal practitioners filed a suit at the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja to stop Hon. Kingsley Chinda as the guber candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state for the 2027 election cycle.
Spear News Nigeria recalls that Chinda, a member of the House of Representatives, representing Obio/Akpor federal vonstituency on May 21, this year emerged as the ruling party’s consensus gubernatorial candidate.
Chinda, an ally of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, ultimately became the sole aspirant in the primary following the last-minute withdrawal of three other contenders who are: incumbent Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Tonye Cole and Alabo Dakorinama George-Kelly.
His emergence, however, has ignited questions against the backdrop his present political status as Minority Leader of the green chamber credited to his membership of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a platform from which he Party-hopped to become the ruling party’s guber flagbearer.
In the suit, the Incorporated Trustees of the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners asked the court to stop Chinda from taking part in the Rivers governorship election.
The group, which said some of its members are from Chinda’s Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency, argued that his alleged defection from the PDP to the APC did not comply with the Electoral Act 2026, as amended, and existing judicial pronouncements on the defection of lawmakers.
From the court documents, the suit was filed on May 12, 2026, by J. B. Lamay, Esq, on behalf of the plaintiff.
Spear News Nigeria gathered that the group had earlier urged the court to restrain Chinda from participating in the APC governorship primary.
It also prayed the court that, if he emerged as the party’s candidate, he should be barred from participating in the general polls..
Listed as respondents in the suit are Chinda; George-Kelly; the Independent National Electoral Commission; the Speaker of the House of Representatives; the APC; the Department of State Services; and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
Apart from seeking to stop Chinda’s governorship ambition, the plaintiff also prayed the court to direct the Speaker of the House of Representatives to remove him as Minority Leader.
It also alleged that Chinda cannot politically approbate and reprobate as he continues to enjoy a legislative position for the opposition while holding the ruling party’s guber ticket simultaneously.
It also urged the court to declare his seat vacant and direct INEC to conduct a by-election to fill the alleged vacancy.
The plaintiff based its request on Chinda’s alleged violation of Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution and a Supreme Court judgment of February 27, 2025, which it said laid down the procedure for defection by legislators.
The plaintiff also asked the court to direct the national leadership of the APC to reject and prevent Chinda and George-Kelly from participating in the Rivers State governorship primary.
In the case of George-Kelly, the group alleged that he failed to resign as Director-General of the Border Communities Development Agency in line with a directive that presidential appointees seeking elective offices in the 2027 elections should resign by March 30, 2026.
But Spear News Nigeria recalls George-Kelly later withdrew from the primary, leaving Chinda as the APC candidate.
Yet, the lawyers squarely asked the court for “an order directing INEC not to recognize or accord validity to the participation, nomination and/or candidature of the 1st and 2nd defendants/respondents (Chinda and George-Kelly) in the APC Rivers State governorship primary election” pending the determination of the suit.
In an affidavit supporting the originating summons, Jesse Amuga, Administrative Secretary of the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners, said the group believed Chinda’s continued stay in office while taking part in APC governorship activities was unlawful.
Amuga stated, “the plaintiff reasonably believes that the continued occupation of legislative office by the 1st Defendant/Respondent (Chinda) while simultaneously participating in APC governorship activities is unconstitutional, unlawful and contrary to democratic ethics and constitutional order.”
The plaintiff also revealed that lawyers representing Chinda’s constituents had, in October 2025, served him a pre-action notice warning that they would begin a recall process against him if he defected from the PDP to the APC.
But Chinda went ahead with the defection in April 2026, a development, Spear News Nigeria gathered to have prompted the lawsuit.
Meanwhile, as at the time of filing this report, no date has been declared for hearing.
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