A group of lawyers has filed suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from recognizing Hon. Kingsley Chinda as the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate for Rivers State in 2027.

The suit was instituted by the Incorporated Trustees of the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners.

The plaintiffs are challenging Chinda’s eligibility on grounds of alleged improper defection from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the APC.

Chinda currently serves as Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

He emerged as the APC governorship candidate after other aspirants, including Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Tonye Cole and Alabo George-Kelly, withdrew from the race ahead of the party’s primary on May 21, 2026.

The lawyers argue that Chinda’s participation in APC activities while still a PDP lawmaker violates constitutional provisions and judicial precedents on defections by elected legislators.

In the suit, they asked the court to restrain INEC from recognizing Chinda as the APC candidate pending the determination of the case.

They also urged the court to compel the Speaker of the House of Representatives to declare Chinda’s seat vacant and remove him as Minority Leader over alleged dual party affiliation.

According to court documents, the plaintiffs relied on Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution.

They also cited a Supreme Court judgment delivered on February 27, 2025, on procedures guiding defections by lawmakers.

The legal action initially challenged the participation of Alabo George-Kelly in the APC primary.

The plaintiffs alleged he failed to resign as Director-General of the Border Communities Development Agency within the timeline for political appointees seeking elective office.

George-Kelly has since withdrawn from the primary, shifting focus to Chinda’s candidacy.

The group further claimed Chinda had been warned by constituents against defecting from the PDP.

They noted that a pre-action notice for his recall was allegedly served on him in October 2025 before his move to the APC in April 2026.

The suit is expected to intensify political tensions in Rivers State ahead of 2027.

Alignments and realignments continue to reshape the state’s political landscape as parties prepare for the general elections.

No date has been fixed for hearing in the matter.