RismadarVoice Reporters
October 28, 2026
The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and its governorship candidate in Rivers State, Kieghe Nature Dumale, have approached the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt seeking to disqualify the All Progressives Congress (APC) from contesting the February 6, 2027 governorship election.
The plaintiffs are asking the court to direct the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove the APC and its candidate, Kingsley Ogundu Chinda, from the list of eligible contestants over alleged violations of the Electoral Act 2026.
The suit, identified as FHC/PH/CS/193/2026, lists INEC and the APC as defendants.
In an 18-paragraph supporting affidavit, Dumale alleged that the APC failed to comply with statutory requirements governing the submission of political party membership registers before conducting its governorship primary.
The plaintiffs cited the Supreme Court’s September 24, 2026 judgment in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, which upheld the constitutionality of Sections 77(5)–(7) of the Electoral Act.
According to INEC, the judgment established that political parties must comply with the prescribed membership-register requirements to validly sponsor candidates.
Dumale alleged that the APC submitted its membership register on April 20, 2026, before Chinda reportedly registered with the party on April 27.
He further claimed that Chinda’s name was absent from the party’s submitted register for Ward 3B in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
The plaintiffs also alleged that Chinda appeared in a Peoples Democratic Party membership register, raising questions about his party affiliation during the nomination process.
They argued that INEC should have examined these circumstances before including Chinda in its final list of governorship candidates.
INEC had earlier explained that it applied the Supreme Court judgment when excluding some political parties from the 2027 governorship election over non-compliance with membership-register requirements.
The commission nevertheless included Chinda among the 19 candidates listed for the Rivers governorship contest.
Through their legal team led by Dr Doueyi Fiderikumo, the plaintiffs are seeking a declaration that the APC is ineligible to field a candidate and an order removing its nomination from the electoral list.
The allegations have not been determined by the court, and the APC’s inclusion on INEC’s published list remains unchanged by the filing of the suit.
A hearing date for this particular action has not been independently confirmed.
