Kingsley Chinda resigns as House Minority Leader, joins APC

Kingsley Chinda, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, has officially resigned from his position. He has also switched from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Speaker of the House, Abbas Tajudeen, announced Chinda’s resignation and defection during a session on Tuesday. This was the first day lawmakers returned to work after a four-week break.

The break allowed lawmakers to visit their constituencies and take part in their political parties' primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Chinda’s announcement ends weeks of speculation about his political future. He took part in the APC governorship primary in Rivers State without resigning from either the PDP or his role as minority leader beforehand.

His resignation letter shows that he stepped down effective from April 23. The letter was addressed to the Speaker, and Chinda thanked everyone for the chance to serve as leader of the opposition party in the House.

“I formally tender my resignation from the position of Minority Leader of the House of Representatives with effect from the 23rd day of April 2026. It has been a profound honour and privilege to serve in this capacity, representing the collective interest of the minority caucus and contributing to the legislative work of the House.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to evolve under your leadership and alongside distinguished colleagues in advancing democratic governance and national development. I remain fully committed to my duties as a member of the House. I will continue to support the work of the legislature in every way possible,” Chinda’s letter read.

Even with this important news, Chinda was not present during the Tuesday session when the Speaker told lawmakers about his resignation.

Earlier reports from PREMIUM TIMES pointed out that Chinda had not announced his defection on the House floor before joining the APC primary for the 2027 Rivers governorship race. The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP faction linked to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, confirmed that Chinda had left the PDP before he bought the APC governorship nomination form and took part in the party’s primary election.

Still, no official announcement of his resignation or defection was made during the plenary before lawmakers took their break. This situation sparked discussions among political and legislative circles since Chinda held a key opposition leadership position in the House.

Some critics asked if he could still validly hold the office of minority leader after leaving the party that nominated him for the role. In response to earlier reports from PREMIUM TIMES, House spokesperson Akin Rotimi said that Chinda had informed the House leadership of his resignation before the break started.

Rotimi said the Speaker's office received Chinda’s resignation letter. He emphasized that neither the Constitution, the Electoral Act, nor the House’s rules require such letters to be read during plenary. “Chinda actually sent his resignation. The leadership of the House and the office of the Speaker duly received that letter. The House has been on recess since,” Rotimi stated.

He pointed out that while lawmakers often make announcements about defections during plenary, this is mostly based on tradition and not a legal requirement. “It is not a constitutional provision, it is not a provision of the Electoral Act, and it is not in the House rules that it is compulsory that a resignation letter from a party should be read on the floor,” he explained.

Rotimi added that quitting a political party is mainly a party issue that takes effect at the member’s ward and local government levels. Concerns about whether Chinda should retain the minority leader's office will be looked at when the House resumes from recess.

Tuesday’s announcement clears up the controversy and confirms that Chinda has given up both his PDP membership and his role as leader of the opposition in the House. His exit marks a big shift in the House of Representatives as the 2027 elections approach. Chinda was a prominent figure in the PDP and one of the leading voices of the opposition in the National Assembly.

Now, the focus will move to the PDP caucus in the House as they start discussions to choose a new minority leader to fill the spot left by Chinda. He is one of several politicians from Rivers State who have recently joined the APC as the political scene in the state continues to change ahead of the next elections.