A civic advocacy group, the Centre for Constitutional Governance and Electoral Integrity (CCGEI), has challenged those questioning the eligibility of Kingsley Chinda, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Rivers state, to provide evidence that he participated in any Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) activity after April 2, 2026.
The group said Chinda had already stepped down from his position as minority leader of the house of representatives before participating in the APC governorship process and has since ceased to function in any official capacity for the PDP.
The challenge follows a suit filed at the federal high court in Abuja seeking an order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising Chinda’s participation in the APC governorship primary.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Ibrahim Danjuma, executive director of CCGEI, described the suit as “baseless, speculative and politically driven”.
He said the APC governorship primary had been validly conducted and concluded, stressing that Chinda emerged through a process recognised by the party.
“The process has been concluded. Hon. Kingsley Chinda is the duly emerged governorship candidate of the APC in Rivers state,” the statement reads.
“Those raising allegations of defection irregularities should present one single proof anywhere in Nigeria showing that after April 2, 2026, Hon. Chinda attended any PDP function, represented the PDP in any capacity, or acted as minority leader in the house of representatives.”
The group said no such evidence exists because the lawmaker had already withdrawn from all PDP leadership responsibilities before aligning with the APC governorship process.
“Since April 2, he has not presided over any PDP caucus, issued any statement as minority leader, attended any PDP event, or functioned in that office in any form whatsoever,” Danjuma said.
“Political opponents cannot replace facts with assumptions simply because they are uncomfortable with the outcome of the APC primary.”
CCGEI maintained that Chinda complied with all constitutional and procedural requirements before contesting the governorship ticket and insisted that attempts to invalidate his candidacy amount to an abuse of the judicial process.
The organisation also argued that the suit was aimed at creating confusion around a concluded political exercise rather than protecting constitutional order.
It urged the court to dismiss what it described as “a fishing expedition dressed up as constitutional litigation”.
According to the group, democratic participation and freedom of political association remain protected rights that cannot be undermined through politically motivated lawsuits unsupported by verifiable evidence.
