Commotion in Federal House over appointment of Minority Leader

 

…Gbajabiamila announces Ndudi Elumelu Minority Leader

Proceedings at the Lower Chamber of the National Assembly, the House of Representatives, were brought to an abrupt end Wednesday when members engaged themselves in shouting march after Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, read out what he said was a communication from minority parties.

The letter conveyed the names of supposed principal officers of the minority parties that constitute the House.

The Speaker had hardly announced Ndudi Elumelu (PDP Delta State) as the Minority Leader, Toby Okechukwu from Enugu State, Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Gideon Gwani, Minority Whip and Hon. Adesegun Adekoya as the Deputy Minority Whip than the House became rancorous.

Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers) and some lawmakers loyal to him protested and attempted snatching the mace, turning the ongoing plenary to a rowdy session and subsequently to an abrupt end.

Chinda’s group protested that the letter read by the Speaker, which nominated Elumelu as Minority Leader did not emanate from the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and as such “null and void.”

It will be recalled that the PDP and opposition caucus in the House had nominated Hon. Kingsley Chinda from Rivers State as the Minority Leader, Hon. Chukwuka Onyema from Anambra State as the Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Yakubu Barde from Kaduna State as the Minority Whip and Hon. Muriano Ajibola from Oyo State as Deputy Minority Whip.

Defending his action, the Speaker said that his position was informed by a letter he received signed by PDP and other minority parties. According to him, the letter was signed by 90 members of the opposition parties.

This further generated tension and amidst the rowdiness, some aggrieved lawmakers loyal to the Chinda group rushed to snatch the mace, the symbol of authority of the legislature, but were prevented by the Sergeant-at-Arms. This however prompted an abrupt end of the plenary session.