Court Orders Rivers LG Chairmen To Justify Elections Amid PDP Nomination Dispute

A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has ordered the Chairmen of Obio-Akpor, Port Harcourt City and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Councils, alongside their vice chairmen and councillors, to appear before it and show cause why their elections should not be nullified.

Justice Stephen Jumbo issued the directive after granting an application to join the Chairman of Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, Gift Worlu, and 59 others as a second set of respondents in a suit filed by three stakeholders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State.

The claimants — Enyi Uchechukwu, Wisdom Kalio and Uche Amadi — are challenging the legality of the nomination of PDP chairmanship, vice chairmanship and councillorship candidates who participated in the August 30, 2025 local government elections.

Also joined in the suit are the PDP factional state chairman, Aaron Chukwuemeka, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), the PDP and the Rivers State Government.

In the originating summons, the claimants are asking the court to determine whether the Aaron Chukwuemeka-led state executive committee of the PDP — whose congresses that produced it were allegedly nullified by a prior judgment of the High Court — can validly submit a list of candidates to RSIEC for the just-concluded council elections.

They further seek a declaration on whether the PDP presented a valid list of candidates to RSIEC through Chukwuemeka, thereby enabling the candidates to lawfully participate in the August 30, 2025 polls.

The plaintiffs are also asking the court to declare that the party’s Ward, Local Government Area and State Elective Congresses conducted on July 27 and August 10, 2024, having reportedly been set aside by the High Court, are a nullity.

They contend that Chukwuemeka, being a product of the said congresses, lacked the legal competence to conduct party primaries or submit any list of candidates for elective positions.

In addition, the claimants are seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their agents or privies from further interfering in the internal affairs of the PDP, particularly regarding the nomination and presentation of candidates for elective offices.

Before adjourning the matter to March 17, 2026 for hearing, Justice Jumbo granted an application for substituted service filed by counsel to the claimants, Glory Chizim-Chinda, directing that court processes be served on the defendants at the PDP State Secretariat along Aba Road, Port Harcourt.

The outcome of the case is expected to have significant implications for the leadership of the affected local government councils and the internal dynamics of the PDP in Rivers State.