61 opposition lawmakers back Ugochinyere for minority leader role

Most opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives, 61 in total, have backed Imo lawmaker Ikenga Ugochinyere as the next Minority Leader. This comes after the former Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, left his party for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The lawmakers come from various opposition parties in the House. They have formally sent Ugochinyere’s name to the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, for approval and announcement according to parliamentary rules.

Documents shared with journalists on Wednesday show that 61 of the 81 opposition members in the House signed the nomination. This shows strong support for Ugochinyere across different parties, regions, and religions.

The minority leadership became vacant after Chinda, who was elected from the Peoples Democratic Party, left for the APC. He also became the APC's governorship candidate for Rivers State in the 2027 elections.

Sources from the opposition group said the decision to support Ugochinyere came after many discussions among lawmakers from the African Democratic Congress, Nigeria Democratic Congress, Labour Party, All Progressives Grand Alliance, Peoples Redemption Party, Action Peoples Party, Allied Peoples Movement, Social Democratic Party, and Accord Party.

The lawmakers believe their choice is in line with the House Rules, which allow minority members to elect their leaders. They said, "The House of Representatives Standing Orders, particularly Order 7, Rule 7, provide that members of the minority caucus shall elect among themselves those who will occupy minority leadership positions."

In a private chat with our reporter, some lawmakers shared their belief that the Speaker would honor the majority's decision and announce the new leader soon. They also mentioned that the opposition group has agreed on the roles of Deputy Minority Leader and Minority Whip, with talks still ongoing about the full makeup of the minority leadership team.

The lawmakers support Ugochinyere because of his experience in the House. They pointed out that he represents Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency in Imo State and has sponsored many bills, motions, and petitions. He has also served as Senior Special Adviser to a Senate President.

Recently, the opposition group in the House has seen major changes, with many lawmakers switching parties. This has shifted the balance of power within the minority bloc.

Ugochinyere is one of the loudest opposition voices in the 10th House. He serves on important legislative committees and takes part in debates on governance, electoral reforms, and national political issues.

As this report was being prepared, there was no official word from the Speaker's Office about the nomination. Still, opposition lawmakers are hopeful that the issue will be settled according to parliamentary customs and House rules. The Speaker is set to meet with the minority caucus on Thursday.