Rivers 2027: Group Urges INEC to Drop Chinda After Supreme Court Judgment

The Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP) has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disqualify Kingsley Chinda as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for Rivers State in the 2027 election following last week’s Supreme Court judgment on political party membership registers and candidate nomination.

The group made the request in a letter dated September 26 and signed by its Executive Secretary, Tonye Jaja, while also asking INEC to convene an urgent meeting involving the association, the APC and Chinda to seek an out-of-court settlement of its pending case over aspects of the lawmaker’s nomination.

The request followed Thursday’s judgment of the Supreme Court, which restored provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 governing political party membership registers and the nomination of candidates.

A seven-member panel led by Justice Adamu Jauro set aside a Court of Appeal judgment that had voided sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Act, holding that the provisions were not inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution.

ALDRAP said the judgment had brought into focus what it described as the legal and electoral consequences surrounding Chinda’s candidacy.

The association’s suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/972/2026, is pending before the Federal High Court in Abuja. INEC, Abdul Mahmud, chairman of the APC appeal panel for Rivers Assembly aspirants, the APC, its national chairman, Chinda and Mariana Ajibola are listed as respondents.

ALDRAP had challenged the participation of Mahmud and Ajibola in the APC Rivers governorship screening and appeal process, alleging that their political, professional and personal relationships with Chinda created a reasonable apprehension of bias.

It argued that the alleged relationships compromised the independence of the screening process and violated the right to fair hearing guaranteed under Section 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution.

The association also asked the court to compel Chinda to testify on oath about his political and personal relationships with Mahmud and Ajibola and to nullify the screening exercise.

In its latest letter, however, ALDRAP sought an administrative resolution of the dispute, asking INEC to consider the consequences of the Supreme Court judgment alongside the issues raised in the pending suit.

It specifically asked the commission to examine the status of the APC governorship nomination, applicable membership-register requirements, records submitted to INEC by the party and the steps required to give effect to the apex court’s decision.

ALDRAP stressed that its request was not an invitation to INEC to disregard the Supreme Court judgment but an effort to resolve what it described as consequential administrative and legal issues.

The association said an early resolution would help prevent further litigation and ensure compliance with the Constitution and electoral law.

Chinda, a member of the House of Representatives and an ally of Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, was the sole aspirant in the APC Rivers governorship primary held on May 21 and was declared the winner.

Governor Siminalayi Fubara withdrew from the APC primary hours before the exercise.

### APC Chieftain Insists Ruling Does Not Threaten Lawmaker’s Ticket

But APC chieftain and close ally of Chinda, Chief Oby Ndukwe, has dismissed concerns that the Supreme Court judgment poses a threat to the lawmaker’s candidacy.

Speaking in Port Harcourt on Sunday, Ndukwe said there was no suit challenging Chinda’s eligibility to contest the 2027 governorship election.

“Let me start by saying that there is no suit challenging O.K. Chinda’s election or eligibility for the election,” Ndukwe said.

He argued that the Supreme Court judgment was principally about INEC’s powers under the Electoral Act concerning political party membership registers and candidate nominations.

According to him, matters relating to party primaries remain internal affairs of political parties, provided they are conducted in accordance with their constitutions and applicable law.

Ndukwe said it was not for outsiders to determine who a political party should nominate, adding that only aspirants who contested the primary with Chinda could challenge his candidacy.

“Until that happens and the courts decide on it, there is no threat to his candidacy,” he said.

The APC chieftain also said the Supreme Court did not issue any consequential order affecting Chinda or other candidates in the 2027 elections.

“For those who are celebrating or those who are apprehensive, the Supreme Court did not make any consequential orders concerning anybody who might have been affected by the judgment,” he said.

The development has added a fresh legal dimension to the Rivers 2027 governorship contest, with the effect of the Supreme Court judgment on party nominations and membership records now at the centre of the dispute.