Court Moves to Block Chinda from 2027 Governorship Race

A fresh legal battle has emerged regarding the 2027 Rivers State governorship race, with a suit filed in the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking to stop Kingsley Chinda, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, from contesting. The case, brought by a group of lawyers, argues that Chinda's alleged defect from the People's Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) violates provisions of the Electoral Act.

The plaintiffs request the court to compel the Speaker of the House of Representatives to declare Chinda's seat vacant due to his dual party membership. Additionally, they seek an order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognize Chinda's candidacy pending the suit's determination.

The case also involves Alabo George-Kelli, a former governorship aspirant, who claims that he did not resign from his position as Director General of the Border Communities Development Agency within the required timeframe for political appointments. The court has yet to assign a hearing date for the matter.