Kingsley Chinda 2027 Governorship Bid Faces Court Challenge in Rivers State

|By Adejumo Adekunle

The Kingsley Chinda 2027 governorship bid has come under fresh legal pressure after lawyers asked an Abuja Federal High Court to stop the APC candidate from contesting the Rivers State election.

The suit targets Kingsley Chinda, who emerged as the All Progressives Congress candidate on 21 May 2026 after other aspirants, including Siminalayi Fubara, withdrew from the primary.

However, the legal dispute centres on Chinda’s political status. Although he won the APC ticket, he still serves as Minority Leader in Nigeria’s House of Representatives under the Peoples Democratic Party.

According to court documents, lawyers under the Incorporated Trustees of the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners filed the suit on 12 May 2026. They argued that Chinda’s alleged defection failed to comply with the Electoral Act and Supreme Court rulings on lawmakers switching parties.

As a result, the group asked the court to stop him from contesting both the APC primary and the 2027 governorship election.

Meanwhile, the case adds another layer to the ongoing political crisis involving Nyesom Wike and Governor Fubara in Rivers State.