INEC Clears Wike Ally Chinda For Rivers Governorship Poll Despite Eligibility Controversy

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cleared Kingsley Chinda, a close ally of Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, to contest the 2027 governorship election in Rivers State.

Chinda, a former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, was listed as number five among 19 candidates on INEC’s final list released on Saturday . His name appeared as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate.

Chinda’s emergence as the APC flagbearer followed the withdrawal of other contenders, including Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Tonye Cole, and George-Kelly . He was the sole aspirant in the party primary held on May 21, 2026, and polled 268,497 votes across the state’s 23 local government areas.

The former lawmaker, who previously belonged to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), defected to the APC in April 2026 . His defection did not generate significant public attention at the time.

The APC primary returning officer, Bitrus Kwamoti, declared Chinda the winner, stating he had satisfied the requirements of the party’s constitution and guidelines.

However, Chinda’s candidacy has been shrouded in legal controversy. A Supreme Court judgment delivered in late September 2026 restored Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, barring parties from fielding candidates whose names were not in the membership register submitted to INEC within the stipulated time.

Section 77(5) requires that only members whose names appear in the party’s register submitted to INEC may participate in party exercises, while Section 77(6) prohibits the use of a different membership register.

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, challenged the APC over the legality of Chinda’s candidacy, questioning whether his name was actually contained in the verified APC membership register validly submitted to INEC.

Eze argued that the issue before Nigerians was no longer political propaganda but strict legal compliance.

The Rivers APC, however, rejected calls challenging Chinda’s candidacy, insisting that he registered as a party member 24 days before the primary, exceeding the 21-day threshold, and that the judgment does not invalidate his nomination.

Legal challenges to his nomination are still pending in court, with one suit at the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt adjourned to November 4, 2026.

A separate suit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners is seeking an order restraining Chinda from participating in the governorship election.

The plaintiffs also asked the court to direct the Speaker of the House of Representatives to remove him as Minority Leader and declare his seat vacant over alleged dual party membership.

Chinda, 60, is running with Jack Major Miakiapuye as his deputy. His qualifications are listed as a First School Leaving Certificate and a law degree.

His emergence is widely viewed as part of broader political realignments in Rivers State linked to Wike’s influence and the so-called Rainbow Coalition.