A pro-democracy organisation, the Centre for Constitutional Governance and Electoral Integrity (CCGEI), has defended the participation of Kingsley Chinda in the All Progressives Congress governorship process in Rivers State, insisting that the lawmaker complied with all constitutional and party requirements before joining the race.
The group was reacting to a suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja by the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP), which is seeking to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising Chinda’s participation in the APC governorship primary.
Chinda, who represents Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives and is regarded as an ally of Nyesom Wike, reportedly emerged as the sole candidate in the APC governorship primary conducted on May 21 after Siminalayi Fubara withdrew from the contest hours before the exercise.
In a statement issued Tuesday in Abuja, Executive Director of CCGEI, Ibrahim Danjuma, described the legal action as “misleading, politically motivated and lacking constitutional substance.”
According to the group, Chinda formally resigned from his position as minority leader in the House of Representatives and stopped performing the functions of the office from April 2, 2026, within the timeframe required under existing electoral guidelines.
“The facts are straightforward and verifiable. Hon. Kingsley Chinda stepped down from his role as minority leader on April 2 and effectively disengaged from the leadership structure of the PDP before participating in the APC governorship process,” the statement said.
“To suggest otherwise is an attempt to distort both the law and the sequence of events for political advantage.”
CCGEI argued that Chinda’s participation in the APC primary did not amount to a constitutional violation, maintaining that the lawmaker acted in line with provisions guiding political participation and party realignment.
The group further alleged that the suit was aimed at creating unnecessary political tension in Rivers State rather than safeguarding constitutional order.
“This is clearly an effort to weaponise litigation for political ends. Nigerians are aware that internal political realignments ahead of elections are common and must be assessed based on facts, not speculation,” Danjuma added.
The organisation also noted that Chinda neither concealed his political decision nor continued to exercise authority as minority leader after stepping down from the position.
It maintained that the APC acted within its rights by allowing him to participate in the primary after fulfilling the necessary requirements.
CCGEI urged the judiciary to resist political pressure and focus strictly on constitutional interpretation and documentary evidence before the court, warning that attempts to invalidate Chinda’s candidacy on technical grounds could undermine democratic participation and the rights of political actors to freely associate and contest elections.
