The PDP had, in an official communication endorsing its candidates for the minority leadership positions, picked Kingsley Chinda as Minority Leader; Chukwuka Onyema (PDP-Anambra) – Deputy Minority Leader; Yakubu Bade (PDP-Kaduna) – Minority Whip and Muraina Ajibola (PDP-Oyo) – Deputy Minority Whip.
But the renegade lawmakers had a shocker off the sleeves with their carefully perfected plans that saw Speaker Gbajabiamila announcing Hon Elumelu as the Minority Leader; Toby Okechukwu (PDP-Enugu) – Deputy Minority Leader; Gideon Gwami – Minority Whip and Adesegun Adekoya – Deputy Minority Whip.
Speaking at a media briefing by some of the ‘rebel’ legislators in Abuja on Wednesday, an Action Democratic Congress (ADC) representative from Kogi State, Hon Leke Abejide, said their backing for Elumelu and others as minority leaders was based on personal conviction, need for inclusiveness, overriding public interest and equity.
He chided the PDP over its selfish position, warning that the main opposition party cannot impose candidates on all the other minority parties in the House.
Abejide stated that; “It was unfortunate that when the Chinda-led minority caucus was addressing the media, it did not mention other political parties.
“Minority leadership in the House is not for one party. They are making mistake of being APC and PDP alone in the house.
“There are other parties like APGA, PRP, AA, SDP and all of us are here in person. Listen to them and listen to us and judge by yourselves on who is right.”
Also in his submission, Hon Kingsley Chima (Action Alliance), Imo State corroborated Abejide’s position, saying the members of his party in the 9th Assembly unequivocally nominated and adopted Elumelu-led minority leadership.
For him, the act of nominating the leadership is solely the business of members and the PDP’s action smacks of external interference in the House’s internal affairs.
Speaking in the same vein, Hon Ifeanyin Ibezi (APGA-Anambra) said the action is in accordance with the House rules, maintaining that the entire All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) members in the 9th assembly have signed, approved and elected all the minority leaders as announced by Speaker Gbajabiamila.
Commenting on the development, Hon Elumelu said expressed thanks to his colleagues from all the nine minority parties in the House for the confidence reposed in him and others as their nominated minority leaders.
Elumelu said of the 147 minority members in the House, 111 members voted for them, adding that the new minority leaders have therefore accepted their nomination based on the Order 7, Rule 8 of the House.
He explained that by experience and competence, all those selected and announced on the House Minority Leadership list are eminently qualified as ranking members of the lower legislative chamber.
The Delta State lawmaker, who reaffirmed his loyalty to the PDP, said as men and women of honour, Nigerians would certainly not be disappointed by the “newly appointed, elected, endorsed, nominated minority leaders” of the House.
But sources close to the Wada House national secretariat of the PDP in Abuja told Forefront the party is shaken by the development and the ‘rebellious’ attitude of some of its members.
Though there has been no official reaction from the PDP, the source said wide consultations were currently on-going and the opposition party is expected to come up with its position on the matter soon.
