Court fixes hearing on Chinda’s governorship eligibility

PORT HARCOURT — A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has fixed November 4, 2026, to hear a suit challenging the eligibility of Kingsley Ogundu Chinda to contest the 2027 Rivers State governorship election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The suit, marked FHC/PH/CS/3/2026, was instituted by Samuel Amatonjie against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Chinda, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the APC, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Clerk of the House.

Amatonjie is challenging Chinda’s eligibility to participate in the APC governorship primary, arguing that his defection from the PDP to the APC was not in compliance with Section 68 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, before the party’s screening and primary.

At Wednesday’s proceedings, the applicant informed the court that he had been served with processes filed by some of the defendants on September 28 and requested additional time to study them and respond on points of law.

Justice Mohammed Turaki, after hearing the parties, adjourned the matter until November 4, 2026, for hearing.

Speaking outside the courtroom, Amatonjie said the suit was instituted as a public-interest litigation seeking an interpretation of Section 68 of the Constitution regarding defection by a member of the National Assembly.

He said Chinda’s resignation and defection letter was read on the floor of the House of Representatives by the Speaker on June 2, 2026, and asked the court to disqualify Chinda from contesting the 2027 Rivers governorship if it grants the reliefs sought.

Counsel for the PDP, Paul Daudu, SAN, confirmed that the matter was adjourned to enable the plaintiff respond to processes filed by the defendants.

“It was slated for hearing, but the plaintiff asked for adjournment because he needed to respond to the processes filed by the first, second and third defendants. That is essentially what happened,” Daudu said.

He added that the plaintiff’s position was that Chinda did not resign as Minority Leader of the House of Representatives at the appropriate time.

Counsel for Chinda, Dike Udenna, also confirmed the adjournment, saying the plaintiff had sought time to respond to the preliminary objections and counter-affidavits filed by the defendants.