Wike’s kinsman, Chinda, emerges Rivers APC guber candidate after Fubara, others, stepped down

The Rivers State full political game has taken shape as Kingsley Chinda, until now the minority leader in the Federal House of Representatives (PDP), has emerged the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the state.

He was known to have recently defected to the APC and at the same time picked the governorship nomination form of the party. He is from Obio/Akpor LGA of Rivers State, same with Nyesom Wike, FCT Minister and former governor of the state who insisted Governor Fubara must not come back as condition for not getting him impeached.

Chinda, who was recruited into politics years back by then Gov Wike, is known as a strong ally of the former governor.

Chinda emerged the candidate with a total votes of 268,497 at the party’s gubernatorial primaries election held in various local government areas of the state, Thursday.

The victory as announced by Kwamoti Bitrus, the chairman of the Committee for the Rivers State APC Governorship primaries election, elicited some celebration as party members at the Collation Centre, held at the APC Secretariat in Port Harcourt, were thrown into dancing mood.

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The emergence of Chinda seems to be the epic of withdrawals led by incumbent Governor, Sim Fubara, who announced his stepping down Wednesday evening, May 20, 2026. This was followed by Tonye Cole and George-Kelly D.A.

Gov Fubara had said, “After deep reflection and extensive consultations with my family, friends, and associates, I have taken the difficult but necessary decision to withdraw from the APC gubernatorial primaries. I do so with a full heart and with a firm commitment to support whoever emerges as the candidate of our great party.

“Leadership is ultimately about sacrifice. There comes a time when personal ambition must yield to the greater good of the people. Rivers State is bigger than any individual, and at this critical moment, the peace, stability, and unity of our dear state must take precedence over every personal interest.”

The governor promised to support whoever emerged as the APC candidate for the forthcoming general elections.

Cole said “As a committed democrat and a firm believer in the supremacy of strong institutions as the foundation for sustainable development, I have consistently advocated for dialogue, reconciliation, and unity among the various stakeholders and factions within the Rivers State chapter of our great party, the APC.

“In recent days, the national leadership of our party convened a critical stakeholders’ meeting during which far-reaching discussions were held on the future of the Rivers APC and the imperative of presenting a united front ahead of the primaries and the 2027 general elections.”

On his part, George Kelly said his decision followed consultations with members of his political team and critical stakeholders after a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the national leadership of the APC.

Meanwhile, declaring the result, Bitrus, the Returning Office, said that the total number of voters were 297,068, while number of votes cast in Chinda’s favour was 268,497.

He said the candidate’s Obio/Akpor Local Government Area voted 28,974 votes for their son. “He got 15,946 votes from the Port Harcourt LGA. Others include Etche (14,430 votes), Emohua (13,927), Okrika (11,193 votes), Ikwerre (9,892), Ogu/Bolo (7,162), Omuma (5,160), Ahoada East (14,095 votes), Ahoada West (11,394).

“Also in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni LGA, Chinda had 14,021 votes, Abia/Odual (11,725 votes), Akuku-Toru (9,495 votes), Asari-Toru (9,183), Degema (6,603 votes), Bonny (5,861), Khana (16,501), Gokana (15,463 votes), Eleme (14, 678), Oyigbo (10,253), Andoni (8,597), Tai (8,091) and Opobo/Nkoro (5,853 votes).

In his speech, Bitrus thanked the party’s faithful, especially Tony Okocha, the State APC chairman, and Rivers people for the peace experienced all through the exercise.

He said “Thank you ladies and gentlemen for your cooperation. I appreciate your commitment, most especially the State party chairman that provided conducive environment for us to conduct this exercise. And we are so grateful for that.

“I also want to appreciate the people of Rivers and we have gone to four places to observe before coming into the coalition center how the exercise is being carried out and we are truly satisfied with what we have seen, which was run for free. That is how a party should conduct themselves. And we commend you for that.”

He thus declared: “Chinda Ogundu Kingsley having certified the requirements of APC constitution and guidelines and scored the highest number of votes is hereby declared winner of the primary election and is elected.”