Disagreement in Reps as 61 Members Support Imo Lawmaker for Minority Leader

Some opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives have picked Ikenga Ugochinyere (APP, Imo) as the new Minority Leader. This comes after Kingsley Chinda left the position to join the ruling APC.

This announcement was made a day after Speaker Abbas Tajudeen declared the vacancy during a plenary session. Chinda resigned after he became the APC governorship candidate for Rivers State.

Documents received by journalists on Wednesday show that 61 out of 81 opposition members in the House backed Ugochinyere for the role. They have sent their nomination to the Speaker as they await an announcement about the minority caucus leadership.

The lawmakers, from various parties including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), National Democratic Coalition (NDC), and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), stated their decision represents the majority of opposition members in the House.

According to them, their nomination follows Order 7 Rule 7 of the House of Representatives' Standing Orders. This rule says that members of minority parties should elect a leader to coordinate their activities.

They noted that choosing a minority leader should be based on the collective decision of the opposition and not influenced by sentiments or party pressure. They also highlighted Ugochinyere's legislative achievements as a reason for their support.

Since being elected in 2023, Ugochinyere has sponsored and moved over 40 bills, motions, and petitions. His past experience as a senior adviser to a former senate president also showed he is ready for this role.

The lawmakers defended their choice by saying that legislative seniority should not always determine leadership roles. They pointed out that many lawmakers have held significant positions despite being new.

For example, they mentioned Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who quickly became Senate minority leader shortly after joining the National Assembly in 2015. They also recalled past elections where lawmakers chose their preferred candidates against party zoning rules.

They emphasized that parliamentary democracy depends on majority decisions. Their support for Ugochinyere signals broad backing from various parties and groups.

Among those who endorsed Ugochinyere are Aliyu Abdullahi (ADC, Kaduna), Peter Udogalanya (NDC, Anambra), and Shehu Dalhatu (PDP, Katsina). Many others from different parties also showed their support.

Chinwe Nnabuife (APGA, Anambra), Ifeanyi Uzokwe (NDC, Anambra), and Emeka Obiajulu (NDC, Anambra) are among the supporters. The list includes several other lawmakers from different states.

In total, 61 opposition lawmakers have backed Ugochinyere’s nomination. The Speaker will now review this nomination as the House seeks to fill the vacant minority leadership position.

But not everyone in the minority caucus agrees with Ugochinyere’s endorsement. Some are raising concerns about the selection process and the criteria for leadership.

An anonymous member of the caucus who opposes Ugochinyere's endorsement told PREMIUM TIMES that the decision shows deeper issues within the opposition regarding the outgoing minority leadership.

A member from the PDP in the North-west said frustration has been building over the past three years. He mentioned that many members felt the minority leadership did not meet expectations.

"A lot of members are not happy in the last three years. The minority desk did not live up to expectations. There’s a lot of frustration in the House so new members just gathered themselves together and said, look, we must do what we want," he said.

He argued that the process leading to Ugochinyere’s endorsement might not follow the House Standing Rules, especially regarding the requirement for certain leadership positions.

He explained that "cognate" experience usually refers to lawmakers returning for another term, which he believes is central to the ongoing dispute.

"The Standing Rules say you must be cognate and who is to define that cognate is the Speaker. Cognate means you are coming back for another term. That is the problem," he stated.

The lawmaker further suggested that the move reflects broader dissatisfaction within the National Assembly. He called it a collective pushback against the current leadership rather than a simple procedural decision.

"The truth is that the whole National Assembly members are not happy, so it’s a gang-up against the leadership," he added.

He mentioned that uncertainty over what would happen after Chinda's departure may have added to the urgency of the endorsement.

"Now, why they did this, he is thinking that Chinda has left, maybe the leadership will just come and impose somebody, which is not so," he explained.

The lawmaker insisted that discussions are still ongoing. A final decision on the minority leadership is expected soon.

"We are working with the speaker to round up everything this weekend, then a new leadership will emerge next week, by God’s grace," he said.