Supreme Court Judgment: Rivers APC Candidate Chinda Gets Backing Amid Calls for Disqualification
- The Parliament Support Network dismissed calls by ALDRAP asking INEC to disqualify APC governorship candidate Kingsley Chinda in Rivers state
- PSN cited Rivers APC's claim that Chinda registered with the party 24 days before the primary, exceeding the required 21-day threshold
- The group urged INEC and courts to handle any genuine legal dispute rather than allow disqualification by public pressure
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Abuja, FCT - A civic group has pushed back against efforts to remove Kingsley Chinda, the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Rivers state, from the 2027 ballot, arguing that no legal basis exists for his disqualification.
The Parliament Support Network (PSN), through its National President Maxwell Idoko, issued a statement on Tuesday, September 29, rejecting calls by the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP) for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disqualify Chinda. ALDRAP's request followed a Supreme Court judgment last week on sections of the Electoral Act 2026 relating to party membership registers and candidate nomination.
Source: Facebook
PSN's Case for Chinda's Candidacy
PSN argued that the Supreme Court's restoration of sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026 did not amount to a judicial declaration that Chinda was ineligible to contest.
Idoko pointed to the Rivers APC's position that Chinda joined the party 24 days before the governorship primary, which exceeds the 21-day threshold referenced in the restored provisions. He said that fact alone undermines the case being made against the candidate.
"The relevant question is not whether some individuals are uncomfortable with Hon. Kingsley Chinda's emergence, but whether the legal requirements governing his nomination were satisfied. The Rivers APC has stated that he became a member of the party 24 days before the primary, while the applicable requirement is 21 days. That factual position cannot simply be wished away because some interests are demanding his removal from the ballot," Idoko said.
PSN Accuses Opponents of Political Motives
The group described the campaign against Chinda as politically driven, alleging that unnamed interests were unsettled by his growing profile in Rivers State.
"We are concerned that those who are uncomfortable with Hon. Chinda's rising political profile and those who do not want to see Rivers State make progress are now attempting to manufacture a disqualification narrative around his candidacy. Political disagreements are legitimate, but they should not be converted into legal claims without a solid factual and legal foundation," Idoko said.
PSN called on INEC to remain neutral and urged anyone with a genuine legal complaint to pursue it through the courts rather than through public campaigns.
"The electoral process must be protected from unnecessary disruption. If anyone has a genuine legal objection, the appropriate thing is to present the evidence before the competent court rather than attempt to create a disqualification by public pressure," Idoko added.
The group concluded by urging political actors and civil society organisations to allow INEC and the judiciary to carry out their constitutional roles without interference, saying the attention of Rivers State residents should remain on governance issues ahead of the 2027 elections.
Is Rivers APC Candidate Chinda Disqualified? Lawyer Speaks
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that public affairs analyst Anyakweh Miracle Amadi, Esq., clarified that the recent Supreme Court ruling on the Electoral Act 2026 does not disqualify Chinda as the APC governorship candidate in Rivers state.
The clarification followed public debate over what the Supreme Court's decision means for candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Amadi stated this during an exclusive chat with Legit.ng over the weekend.
Source: Legit.ng
