Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has declared the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Rivers State, Kingsley Ogundu Chinda, as the next governor of the state ahead of the 2027 election.
Wike made the declaration on Tuesday at a reception organised in his honour by Ogbakor Ikwerre, the socio-cultural organisation representing the Ikwerre ethnic nationality, in Obiri-Ehie, Rivers State.
The former Rivers State governor used the occasion to publicly identify Chinda as the politician he expects to succeed Governor Siminalayi Fubara when the state goes to the polls in 2027.
While acknowledging political leaders and other dignitaries present at the gathering, Wike introduced Chinda as the “former Minority Leader in the House of Representatives and, by the grace of God, the next governor of Rivers State.”
The declaration is noteworthy coming barely a day after the APC completed its governorship ticket with the selection of Major Jack, the Majority Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, as Chinda’s running mate.
Chinda is a serving member of the House of Representatives and represents the Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency.
He previously served as Minority Leader of the House before his political movement towards the APC and the 2027 governorship race.
He emerged as the APC governorship candidate after the party’s primary election in May.
Chinda was the sole aspirant in the exercise and was declared winner after securing 268,497 votes from the 23 local government areas of the state.
His emergence followed Governor Fubara’s withdrawal from the governorship contest.
Fubara had initially obtained the APC nomination form and went through the party’s screening process.
He later stepped aside from the race, saying his decision was taken in the interest of peace, stability and unity in Rivers State.
The governor’s withdrawal changed the political calculation ahead of the 2027 election and cleared the way for Chinda to emerge as the party’s candidate.
Wike has previously spoken in support of Chinda’s political ambition.
In May, shortly after Fubara withdrew from the race, the FCT minister described Chinda as an experienced politician and said he was suitable for the governorship position.
“A good product markets itself. Everybody knows that Kingsley Chinda is the material,” Wike said at the time.
He also pointed to Chinda’s experience in both the executive and legislative arms of government.
Recall that Governor Fubara had earlier withdrew from the 2027 governorship race.
He announced his return to the political structure associated with Wike and publicly declared support for the Rainbow Coalition.
In July, Fubara announced his support for President Bola Tinubu and the coalition’s governorship candidate.
“I am supporting our Rainbow Coalition. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is our President, and it is the one we are supporting. The governorship candidate is the candidate I am supporting, and anybody who believes in me will support every candidate under the Rainbow Coalition,” Fubara said.
The governor also said the period of political confrontation was over and urged his supporters to support the new political arrangement.
“I am already in the family. I have returned to our family. Give your total support to the coalition. The time of war is over; it is now time for peace, and that peace will take us to another level,” he added.
Wike subsequently explained that the withdrawal was part of an understanding reached during efforts to resolve the dispute between the two camps.
