Legal group ALDRAP petitions INEC to disqualify Kingsley Chinda as Rivers APC governorship candidate over Supreme Court ruling.
The Association of Legislative Drafting Practitioners (ALDRAP) has sent an official letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) asking it to immediately remove Kingsley Chinda as the All Progressives Congress(APC) governorship candidate in Rivers State.
The organization submitted the request in a formal letter signed by its Executive Secretary, Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja, following a recent Supreme Court decision on electoral laws and candidate register rules.
The legal action stems from a court case filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where the group is asking judges to drop Kingsley Chinda and other state house candidates from the election list.
The group raised concerns about how the appeal committee for the party was set up, arguing that the selection process was influenced by lawmakers and close associates.
In the official letter sent directly to the electoral commission, the organization questioned whether the party met all time rules and candidate list requirements needed to validate the nomination.
Explaining the core reason for their legal petition, the group stated in their submission:
“INEC cannot ignore the implications of a binding decision of the apex court, particularly where the judgment affects the eligibility of candidates already listed for an election.”
The petitioners pointed out that the electoral umpire must follow strict court decisions to ensure all political parties obey standard guidelines before fielding candidates for major public offices.
They argued that failure to enforce apex court rulings on candidate qualification rules could weaken the entire voting process across the state and the nation.
In response to the calls for disqualification, the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress(APC) quickly defended their governorship candidate.
Speaking on behalf of the party, the Publicity Secretary in Rivers State, Ikenga Chibike, dismissed the claims made by the legal group and insisted that Kingsley Chinda joined the party well within the required timetable before the official primaries took place.
See Also: “Look Before You Leap!” — Chiwetalu Agu Speaks On Relationship Double Standards
Defending the candidate’s qualification, Chibike declared:
“There is no atom of truth in that. They said 21 days, and Hon. Chinda’s timing was 24 days when you calculate it.”
The party spokesperson added that the state leadership remains confident in their chosen candidate and expects full backing ahead of the upcoming election season.
Reassuring party members and supporters, the party official added:
“So, we have no challenges with our party candidate. We are praying that the Rainbow Coalition endorsement should be him, then we move on to winning the election.”
Legal experts and political commentators are monitoring the situation closely as the electoral body reviews the petition.
Jennifer Baba is a journalist, international news correspondent, and writer at Moderncrux, where she covers artificial intelligence, fintech, emerging technologies, global politics, and international affairs. Based in Nigeria, she is passionate about transforming complex global developments into clear, engaging stories that inform and inspire readers.
