The Speaker asked to produce evidence of of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, has been asked to provide official records showing that a letter announcing the defection of Rivers lawmaker, Kingsley Chinda, from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC, was formally read on the floor of the House.
According to Daily Post, the demand was made by the Incorporated Trustees of the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners, a group that recently filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from recognising Chinda as the APC governorship candidate for Rivers State ahead of the 2027 election.
Chinda, who is considered an ally of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, emerged as the APC governorship candidate during the party’s May 21, 2026 primary election after other aspirants, including Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Tonye Cole and Alabo Dakorinama George-Kelly, withdrew from the race.
The association argued that Chinda’s move from the PDP to the APC violated Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution, which deals with the defection of lawmakers from the political parties under which they were elected.
In a letter dated May 26, 2026, and signed by the association’s Administrative Secretary, Jesse Williams Amuga, the group requested copies of the House Hansard, Votes and Proceedings, and Order Papers from plenary sessions held in March and April 2026.
According to the association, the documents are needed to confirm whether Chinda officially submitted a resignation letter from the PDP and stepped down as Minority Leader before joining the APC.
The request was copied to the Deputy Speaker and the Clerk of the House of Representatives as the legal battle over Chinda’s eligibility continues….See More
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