TDThe Rivers State governorship race has taken a dramatic turn after the All Progressives Congress (APC) declared Hon. Ogundu Kingsley Chinda, Minority Leader in the House of Representatives and a politician widely seen as an ally of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, as its governorship candidate for the 2027 elections.
The declaration was made in Port Harcourt by Bitrus Kwamoti, chairman of the APC governorship primary election committee and returning officer.
It came as a shock as Chinda is still widely known as a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Minority Leader in the House of Representatives.
The declaration, it was learnt, followed the collation of results from all 23 local government areas in the state.
Kwamoti announced that Chinda, the sole aspirant, polled 268,497 votes and met all constitutional and guideline requirements of the party.
Withdrawals Clear Path for Chinda
The outcome was less surprising than the final confirmation of a carefully managed political sequence.
Reports indicated that Governor Siminalayi Fubara, businessman Tonye Cole, and technocrat Dax George-Kelly withdrew from the primary on Wednesday, leaving Chinda as the lone contender.
Fubara explained his withdrawal as an act of “conviction and sacrifice” for peace and unity.
Observers, though, noted that the APC screening process had already raised suspicion, with Fubara cleared but later facing a party structure increasingly aligned with Wike’s camp.
Wike’s Influence Looms Large
Chinda’s emergence is politically explosive not only because of the ticket itself but also due to the power map behind it.
Analysts point to the long-running feud between Wike and Governor Fubara, with Wike having “repeatedly vowed” that Fubara would not return as governor.
Sources suggest Wike encouraged Chinda to take the APC nomination form.
The move was seen as strategic given ongoing PDP factional disputes and the Supreme Court matter involving Sam Anyanwu.
According to reports, APC national chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda had earlier declared Fubara the leader of the party in Rivers.
He also pledged support for his second-term bid if he won the primaries—a position Wike strongly opposed.
Wike reportedly told APC leaders to “stay away” from Rivers’ politics, underscoring the depth of division.
Chinda’s Public Posture
After his declaration, Chinda struck a conciliatory tone, promising to govern with “fear of God and respect for the rule of law.”
He assured Rivers’ people of “sincerity in governance” and “proper accountability.”
However, his words will be tested against the fierce intra-elite contest that has defined Rivers politics in recent years.
More tests may come given the failed peace arrangement between Wike and Fubara and the impeachment tensions that followed.
Implications for Rivers Politics
Chinda’s candidacy raises fresh questions about party identity, political migration, and internal discipline.
Despite being declared APC’s candidate, he is still widely described as a PDP chieftain and Minority Leader in the House of Representatives, complicating perceptions of loyalty and alignment.
Political analysts warn that the APC ticket may not represent a straightforward realignment.
Rather, they say it’s just another chapter in Rivers’ politics of controlled contradiction.
One commentator stressed that “all is not well” and described the signals from the screening and primary as “too scary.”
The Road Ahead
For now, the APC has a candidate, Wike appears to have secured a preferred vehicle, and Fubara’s camp has been pushed further into a corner.
In Rivers politics, that usually means the story is only beginning.
The 2027 governorship race is expected to be one of the most combustible contests in Nigeria.
It promises far-reaching implications not only for Rivers State but also for national party dynamics and the balance of power within the APC and PDP.
This development underscores the volatility of Rivers politics.
Alliances shift rapidly and party lines blur in the state under the weight of personal rivalries and strategic calculations.
As the 2027 elections draw closer, Chinda’s candidacy will be a focal point in the unfolding battle between Wike and Fubara, with the APC now firmly in the spotlight.
