The political landscape of Rivers State faces further judicial scrutiny as three prominent chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have initiated legal proceedings against the party’s State Chairman, Aaron Chukwuemeka, and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
The plaintiffs; Enyi Uchechukwu, Wisdom Kalio, and Uche Amadi, are challenging the validity of the candidate nominations for the local government elections held on 30 August 2025. The PDP had secured victories in three key local government areas (LGAs) during the polls: Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni, Port Harcourt City, and Obio-Akpor.
In an originating summons, the aggrieved trio has requested the court to determine whether Mr Chukwuemeka possessed the legal authority to submit a list of candidates to the electoral commission. The suit contends that his chairmanship is invalid, as the congress that purportedly produced his leadership had previously been nullified by a court of competent jurisdiction.
The plaintiffs are seeking several declarations from the court, including:
- The nullification of the candidatures of the currently serving council chairmen, vice-chairmen, and councillors in the affected LGAs.
- A formal declaration that the PDP’s ward, local government, and state congresses conducted on 27 July and 10 August 2024 are a nullity, having already been set aside by the Rivers State High Court.
- A determination on whether the party can be deemed to have presented a valid list of candidates for the August 2025 elections through an embattled chairman.
The plaintiffs maintain that Mr Chukwuemeka, being a product of a nullified process, lacked the “legal competence” to oversee party primaries or facilitate official communications with RSIEC. Furthermore, they are seeking an order of perpetual injunction to restrain the defendants and their agents from further interfering with the internal affairs of the PDP.
During the most recent hearing, counsel for the plaintiffs, Glory Chizim-Chinda, moved an oral application for a motion for substituted service on the second and third defendants.
The presiding judge, Justice Stephen Jumbo, granted the application and directed that the legal processes be served at the PDP State Secretariat located on Aba Road, Port Harcourt. In a further bid to ensure all parties are adequately notified, Justice Jumbo ordered that the court processes be served directly on the chairmen, their deputies, and the councillors within the Port Harcourt City, Obio-Akpor, and Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni local government areas.
The matter has been adjourned until 9 February 2026 for further hearing. This case remains a significant point of interest for legal experts and political observers alike, as its outcome could potentially unseat elected local officials and further complicate the internal administration of the state’s ruling party.