ADC Claims Chinda Unqualified for 2027 Election Due to Ruling

The Rivers State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has stated that Kingsley Ogundu Chinda, the governorship candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC), is no longer qualified to contest the 2027 election. This assertion follows a Supreme Court judgment delivered on September 24, which emphasized the necessity for political parties to submit their verified membership registers to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at least 21 days before primary elections.

Chizi Enyi, the Publicity Secretary of the ADC, argued that Chinda's registration with the APC occurred only 19 days before the party's primary election on May 16, as he joined the APC on April 27. Enyi contended that this timeline violates the Electoral Act's requirements, suggesting that all APC House of Representatives candidates might also be unqualified if the party submitted its register after Chinda's registration.

He questioned whether the APC submitted multiple registers to INEC, asserting that Chinda's candidacy is invalid.