The appearance of the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda before the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship screening panel in Abuja has ignited widespread political controversy.
The issue surrounding Chinda’s screening comes amid heightened political tension in Rivers State and the cold war between Governor Siminilayi Fubara and his estranged godfather and ministry of the FCT, Nyesome Wike.
It has also triggered intense reactions across social media and deepening speculation over shifting alliances ahead of the 2027 Rivers governorship election.
Chinda, who currently represents Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was screened on Saturday as an aspirant seeking the APC governorship ticket for the 2027 election in Rivers State.
His participation in the APC process, despite still occupying one of the highest-ranking positions of the PDP in the National Assembly, immediately sparked debates over political loyalty and the power equations shaping Rivers politics.
The development has further reflected the lingering crisis and realignments within the Rivers political establishment, especially amid the prolonged rift between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his estranged political benefactor, Nyesom Wike.
The controversy intensified following reports that Chinda was the first aspirant screened by the APC panel, fuelling insinuations that powerful political interests may already be repositioning quietly ahead of the 2027 governorship contest.
Although Chinda has yet to formally announce his defection from the PDP, many political watchers interpreted his appearance before the APC panel as a major political signal capable of reshaping alignments in the state.
His actions has attracted serious reactions across social media platforms on Sunday
On Facebook, reactions ranged from disbelief to outright outrage, with many users lamenting the “erosion of party discipline and ideological consistency in Nigeria’s political system”.
A Facebook user, Samuel Ayayi, wrote: “I just read that someone is still a PDP Reps member in Abuja but an APC guber aspirant in Rivers. I don’t know how we’ll tell the story of this period to our kids without sounding stupid.”
Another user, Clement Olaolu Elusakin, described the development as part of what he called the “unprecedented political magic” that has characterised the country’s political atmosphere since 2023.
For Yemi Olowabi, the unfolding situation reflected what he termed the deepening decline in Nigeria’s political culture.
“It’s so heartbreaking and sad. We have never had it this bad,” he wrote.
Some commentators also questioned the constitutional and ethical implications of a politician simultaneously retaining a major office in one political party while actively participating in the governorship process of another party.
“I have never heard of a country where one person actively belongs to two political parties at the same time in a democratic setting,” another user, Olubright Anjorin, wrote, describing the development as “a shame and disgrace.”
Others, however, argued that the Rivers political environment has become too unpredictable for conventional political calculations to apply.
“Nobody can understand Rivers politics for now. Not even those playing it know what they are doing,” Orike Didi commented.
The development equally generated sharp reactions on X, formerly Twitter, where several users linked Chinda’s appearance to the larger political struggle between camps loyal to Wike and Governor Fubara.
An X user, identified as @ndii_e, wrote: “Wike at it! I really thought Rt Hon. Chinda was going to fly the PDP flag. Fubara has a fight ahead of him.”
Another user, @Ibelong2God_, alleged that the move could be part of a broader political strategy aimed at weakening Fubara ahead of the governorship race.
“Don’t be deceived. He bought the APC form because their plan is to work in both APC and PDP to stop Fubara. The governor has to be at the top of his game to beat Wike,” the user posted.
Some reactions also focused on the legal dimensions of the development, with users questioning whether public office holders could openly participate in another party’s activities without a formal declaration of defection.
“Surely, there’s absolutely no way it is legal to defect to political parties by public officers without public declaration?” another user, identified as @DartZ___, queried.
Others reacted with sarcasm, with one user jokingly describing the unfolding political alignment as “PDAPC,” while another referred to it as “Wike’s rainbow coalition.”
Credit: Daily Trust
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