However, last month, Mr Ingerson was blocked from standing as a candidate after he was suspended from the Scottish Greens over an unresolved complaint.
It is understood Ms Chapman was one of the individuals who submitted a complaint against Mr Ingerson – but she will replace him at the top of the list, despite also having an outstanding complaint against her.
Ms Chapman is almost certain to be returned to Holyrood, with polls suggesting the party will elect an MSP in the North East Scotland region.
While Scottish Green party members have called for an explanation, the leadership has defended the process.
Gillian Mackay, the party’s co-leader, said she was “confident” the process which allows Ms Chapman to stand despite complaints being made against her were “fair”.
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Speaking to The Herald’s Unspun Live podcast, she said: “There are complaints still live so I am really constrained in what it is that I actually can say.
“But I’m really confident in our vetting and our complaints processes and the volunteers that have led those.
“I’m really looking forward to getting Maggie re-elected in the North East, and the North East region having a Green MSP again.
“She has been really vocal on a whole load of issues across the North East – the campaign for green spaces in Torry, rail links across the region and making sure that we have that strong Green voice in the North East is hugely important.”
But The Herald asked whether Ms Mackay was content that there was no bias in favour of Ms Chapman, who had served as an MSP from 2021.
Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay is interviewed by The Herald’s Rebecca McCurdy for Unspun Live podcast (Image: Colin Mearns)
She also served as the party’s co-convener between November 2013 and August 2019, a position then replaced by co-leader.
She said: “All of those processes are completely politically independent of ourselves and as they should be, and I have confidence in our vetting and our complaints process.”
Mr Ingerson, who was dropped right before candidate nominations closed, has been locked in a bitter feud with Ms Chapman, who is his former employer, after he alleged she contacted his new employer, Friends of the Earth Scotland, to warn he was “untrustworthy”.
The Scottish Greens’ elections and campaigns committee received separate requests for both Ms Chapman and Mr Ingerson to be re-vetted, with Mr Ingerson ultimately denied “approved candidate” status after a complaint was made in October last year.
Meanwhile, Ms Chapman passed the vetting despite also having a complaint outstanding – made by Mr Ingerson and another member.
In a statement, Mr Ingerson said: “It is with great sadness that I must confirm that I will no longer be the Scottish Green Party’s candidate in the North East Scotland region for the Scottish Parliament elections.”
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Mr Ingerson had argued the re-vetting process had been “unconstitutional” and said the internal democracy of the party had been “undermined”.
“After a two-year long campaign of bullying, lies, rumours, and smears designed to stop my candidacy, those who participated in this campaign have been successful,” he added.
The Scottish Greens have also rejected the characterisation of the party’s processes.
Members called for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to be held over the row, arguing complaints were made against Mr Ingerson after he secured the top list spot last year.
Esme Houston, the candidate listed second on the list, said Mr Ingerson was “struck with a no-fault suspension and has now had his case dragged out for over six months with no end in sight.
“Multiple faults in the party’s complaints procedure were exploited over this period while many procedures and necessary steps were ignored.”
The party’s leadership has rarely commented on the ongoing controversy.
Ross Greer, the other co-leader of the Scottish Greens also said he was “confident” Ms Chapman would be re-elected but refused to be drawn into questions over fairness, adding the complaints procedure was “impartial”.
He admitted it had been a “difficult” dispute for the party.
