By Rita Enemuru, Reporting
PORT HARCOURT — The All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship primary election in Rivers State has concluded with the party’s Minority Leader in the House of Representatives, Hon. Ogundu Kingsley Chinda, emerging as the candidate for the 2027 polls.
Chinda, a close ally of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, was declared the winner after Governor Siminalayi Fubara and two other aspirants—Pastor Tonye Cole and Dr Dax Alabo George-Kelly—withdrew from the contest, leaving the lawmaker as the sole candidate.
The primary, held across all 23 local government areas on Monday, saw Chinda secure 268,497 votes from a total of 297,068 cast.
Declaring the results at the APC State Secretariat in Port Harcourt, the Returning Officer and Chairman of the party’s governorship primary election committee for Rivers State, Kwamoti Bitrus, confirmed the outcome.
“The sole aspirant, Chinda Ogundu Kingsley, scored the total number of votes, 268,497. Chinda Ogundu Kingsley, having satisfied the requirements of the APC Constitution and guidelines, and having scored the highest number of votes, is hereby declared winner of the primary election and is in turn elected as the party’s governorship candidate for Rivers State, dated this 21st day of May 2026,” Bitrus said.
He thanked party faithful, particularly the state APC chairman, Tony Okocha, and the people of Rivers State for the peaceful conduct of the exercise.
“We have gone to four places to observe before coming to the collation centre how the exercise was being carried out, and we are truly satisfied with what we have seen, which was rancour-free. That is how a party should conduct themselves, and we commend you for that,” he added.
Addressing journalists, Felix Obuah, the APC candidate for Rivers West Senatorial District, congratulated Chinda, describing him as the party’s most sellable candidate for the general election.
He boldly predicted that no other party or candidate would defeat Chinda in the 2027 polls.
“In Rivers State, we are going for the best candidate that can join people around in Rivers State. To be sincere with you, I don’t think any party can win anything in Rivers State,” Obuah said.
“I want to assure you that we’re not only marketing OK Chinda, we’re marketing a better candidate. Chinda is an acceptable candidate any day, any time, and I want to be very grateful to God Almighty for making this day to come.”
The development marks a significant shift in Rivers State’s political landscape, with Chinda now poised to lead the APC into the 2027 gubernatorial election.
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