A former chairperson of Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission, Chidi Odinkalu, has described the continued occupancy of Kingsley Chinda as House of Representatives Minority Leader while simultaneously flying the governorship flag of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State as a symptom of what he called the “Tinubu system”.
Mr Odinkalu made the remarks on his verified X handle on Monday, questioning how Mr Chinda could simultaneously serve as the face of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the House of Representatves and the governorship candidate of the ruling APC.
“For the past three years, my good friend, Kingsley Chinda, has been the face of PDP in the Green Chamber,” Mr Odinkalu wrote.
“There is no record that he has resigned or been removed. As at today, he remains the Minority Leader of Nigeria’s House of Representatives.”
He noted that Mr Chinda currently holds the APC nomination to contest the 2027 Rivers governorship election, arguing that the situation defies political logic.
“How one man can be both candidate of the ruling party and leader of the opposition in parliament must be one of the miracles of Nigeria’s civil rule under the Tinubu system,” he said.
“This is not politics. It is organised crime.”
Mr Chinda, who represents Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, the same constituency with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria, Nyesom Wike, emerged as the APC governorship candidate for the 2027 election after winning the party’s primary election unopposed in May.
The APC said he polled 268,497 votes after other aspirants, including Governor Siminalayi Fubara, withdrew from the contest.
His emergence sparked public debate because he continues to occupy the office of Minority Leader, a position traditionally reserved for a member of the largest opposition party in the House.
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PREMIUM TIMES reported last week that the development had raised questions about whether a lawmaker can maintain membership of one political party while seeking elective office on the platform of another.
Although Mr Chinda participated in APC screening and subsequently secured the party’s governorship ticket, there has been no public record of his resignation from the PDP or removal from his minority leadership position.
The unusual political arrangement has fueled concerns among lawyers and political observers about the integrity of Nigeria’s party system and the enforcement of constitutional provisions on defections.
The matter may yet be tested in court. A suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja is seeking to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising Mr Chinda as APC governorship candidate, arguing that his alleged defection raises constitutional and electoral questions.