Rights group demands evidence in suit against Rivers APC guber candidate

A rights group has called on the opposition against the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate in Rivers State, Kingsley Chinda, to back their claims with clear evidence showing he remained active in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, after April 2, 2026.

The group said Chinda had already resigned as Minority Leader of the House of Representatives before participating in the APC governorship process and had not taken part in any PDP-related activities since then.

The call by the Centre for Constitutional Governance and Electoral Integrity, CCGEI, in Rivers State, follows a case filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja,is seeking an order barring the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising Chinda’s participation in the APC governorship primary.

In a statement, Ibrahim Danjuma, CCGEI Executive Director, dismissed the case as unfounded and politically motivated.

Danjuma further challenged the petitioners to produce verifiable proof that Chinda attended PDP meetings, acted in a PDP capacity, or continued as Minority Leader after April 2, 2026.

He said, “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.”

According to him, the court action is intended to misrepresent a concluded political process, and he urged the court to strike out the suit for lacking merit.