A legal request has been filed asking the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to produce official records confirming the alleged defection of lawmaker Kingsley Chinda to the All Progressives Congress (APC), as well as his reported resignation as Minority Leader.
The request was made by the Incorporated Trustees of the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners, who are currently pursuing a case at the Abuja Federal High Court seeking to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising Chinda as an APC governorship candidate.
Chinda, a known ally of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, emerged as the APC governorship candidate in the party’s May 21, 2026 primary election after several contestants reportedly withdrew.
The legal group is asking for the House’s Hansard records, Votes and Proceedings, and Order Papers for plenary sittings in March and April 2026 to verify whether Chinda’s alleged resignation letter and defection were formally read on the floor of the House.
The request, made under the Freedom of Information Act, is intended to serve as evidence in an ongoing lawsuit challenging his eligibility for the 2027 governorship election.
The plaintiffs argue that the alleged defection did not comply with constitutional provisions under Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution, which governs legislative defections in Nigeria.
A civil society group, the Centre for Constitutional Governance and Electoral Integrity (CCGEI), however, has maintained that Chinda had already stepped down from his position as Minority Leader before joining the APC governorship race.
LAGOS EYE NEWS reports that the case highlights growing legal and political disputes over party defections and candidate eligibility ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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