Court asked to disqualify APC from Rivers governorship election
AI Executive Briefing
Gemini Flash AI~45s readThe Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) has filed a lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt to disqualify the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the February 6, 2027, Rivers State governorship election. The plaintiffs argue that the APC failed to comply with the Electoral Act, 2026, regarding membership registration and candidate eligibility.
Context & Background
- ✦The suit relies on the Supreme Court judgment in Appeal No. SC/CV/495/2026, which affirmed INEC's authority to sanction political parties for non-compliance with Section 77(5)-(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026.
- ✦The legal challenge centers on whether the APC's candidate, Chinda Kingsley Ogundu, was a validly registered member of the party at the time of the primaries, given his alleged concurrent membership in the Peoples Democratic Party.
Key Figures & Named Entities
•Hon. Kieghe Nature Dumale (1st Plaintiff) and the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).•Chinda Kingsley Ogundu (APC gubernatorial candidate).•Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN (INEC Chairman).•Section 77(5)-(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026.
Outlook & Next Steps
The court has yet to fix a date for the hearing of the matter, which seeks an order to compel INEC to remove the APC and its candidate from the list of eligible parties for the 2027 Rivers State governorship election.
Key Takeaways
AI Summary- The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and its candidate have filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt seeking to disqualify the APC from the 2027 Rivers State governorship election.
- The plaintiffs allege that the APC candidate, Chinda Kingsley Ogundu, was not a registered member of the party when the register was submitted to INEC, and is currently listed as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party.
- The suit challenges INEC's decision to include the APC on the final list of candidates, arguing it violates Section 77(5)-(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026, and a recent Supreme Court judgment.
Key Facts:April 20, 2026: The APC submitted its register of members to INEC for the 2027 general elections.May 21, 2026: The APC conducted its gubernatorial primaries for Rivers State.February 6, 2027: The Rivers State governorship election is scheduled to take place.
Editorial Excerpt
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri ABUJA – The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has been asked to declare that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is ineligible to field a candidate in the 2027 governorship election in Rivers State.
Frequently Asked Questions About This Story
Who are the plaintiffs in the suit against the APC?
The suit was instituted by the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and its gubernatorial candidate for the election, Hon. Kieghe Nature Dumale.
What is the primary allegation regarding the APC's candidate, Chinda Kingsley Ogundu?
The plaintiffs allege that Ogundu's name was not in the APC's register of members submitted to INEC on April 20, 2026, and that he is currently listed as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party.
