The Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has fixed 4 November 2026 for the hearing of a suit challenging the eligibility of Hon. Kingsley Ogundu Chinda to contest the 2027 Rivers State governorship election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress.
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The suit, marked FHC/PH/CS/3/2026, was instituted by Mr. Samuel Amatonjie against the Independent National Electoral Commission, Hon. Chinda, the Peoples Democratic Party, the All Progressives Congress, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Clerk of the House.
The plaintiff is challenging his eligibility to participate in the party’s governorship primary, arguing that his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress was not in compliance with section 68 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, before the party’s screening and primary.
At the proceedings on Wednesday, the applicant informed the court that he had been served with processes filed by some of the defendants on 28 September, and requested additional time to study them and to respond on points of law.
After hearing the parties, Honourable Justice Mohammed Turaki adjourned the matter to 4 November 2026 for hearing.
Speaking outside the courtroom, the plaintiff 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 the defendant’s resignation and defection letter was read on the floor of the House of Representatives by the Speaker on 2 June 2026, and asked the court to disqualify him from contesting the 2027 Rivers State governorship election if it grants the reliefs sought.
Counsel for the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Paul Daudu, SAN, confirmed that the matter was adjourned to enable the plaintiff 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,” he said.
He added that the plaintiff’s position was that the defendant did not resign as Minority Leader of the House of Representatives at the appropriate time.
Counsel for the defendant, Mr. 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.
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