House Minority Leadership: Chinda Alleges Ambush By APC

The House of Representatives witnessed a rowdy session on Wednesday following the declaration of who becomes the minority leader of the lower chamber.
Trouble started when the House Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila decided to abandon a letter by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nominating Kingsley Chinda as Minority Leader.
Gbajabiamila had gone ahead to announce Ndudi Elumelu as Minority Leader which culminated in a protest by members of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP who have the largest minority in the House.
However, Elumelu is also a PDP member but the matter got complicated when an unidentified lawmaker grabbed the mace of the lower chamber thereby plunging the House into confusion.
But reacting to the development, Hon. Chinda who represents Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency vowed to resist any attempt by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to alter the position of the main opposition party in the country.
He wondered why a position agreed by the minority party would be ignored by the House leadership, describing the development as unparliamentary and an ambush.
According to Chinda, “We all agreed that the party should go back among the nominees and choose from amongst them and report back to us. The party did exactly that and we reconvened and received the report of the party and we left satisfied.
“Only for us to attend plenary and see this ambush. It is unfortunate and very unparliamentary. We are not going to take it.
“We must do things properly. We are members of minority party and our leadership will not be determined by the majority party.
“We are aware of the scheming of the APC that the target is that they are going to decimate the minority party in parliament and that they will decide who becomes minority leaders in parliament. We will not allow that to happen,” the federal lawmaker said.

Dennis Naku