Court To Hear Suit Challenging Chinda’s Eligibility

The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has adjourned the hearing of a suit seeking to disqualify Kingsley Chinda from contesting the 2027 Rivers State governorship election on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform until November 4, 2026.

The suit, marked FHC/PH/CS/3/2026, was filed 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 National Assembly.

Amatonjie is challenging Chinda’s eligibility to participate in the APC governorship primary, arguing that the lawmaker’s defection from the PDP to the APC did not comply with Section 68 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

The plaintiff contends that the alleged constitutional breach occurred before Chinda took part in the APC’s screening and primary process.

At Wednesday’s proceedings, Amatonjie told the court that he had received court processes filed by some of the defendants on September 28.

He subsequently requested additional time to examine the documents and respond to the issues raised. After hearing the parties, Justice Mohammed Turaki adjourned the matter until November 4 for a hearing.

Speaking with journalists outside the courtroom, Amatonjie described the case as public-interest litigation aimed at obtaining a judicial interpretation of Section 68 of the Constitution as it relates to the defection of a serving 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.

Amatonjie maintained that should the court grant the reliefs sought, Chinda should be barred from contesting the 2027 governorship election in Rivers State.

Counsel for the PDP, Paul Daudu (SAN), confirmed that the case was adjourned at the plaintiff’s request to enable him to 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 contention was that Chinda failed to resign as Minority Leader of the House of Representatives at the appropriate time.

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