Isaac Samuel
A major realignment has emerged in the House of Representatives as 61 out of 81 federal lawmakers from opposition parties have nominated Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere as the Minority Leader designate of the House, following the vacancy created in the leadership of the opposition bloc.
The development comes after the Speaker of the House declared the Minority Leader seat vacant following the defection of the former occupant, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), where he also emerged as the party’s governorship candidate in Rivers State.
Documents sighted indicate that the 61 lawmakers, drawn across multiple opposition parties, including the NDC, ADC, APP, PRP, Labour Party (LP), APGA, APM, ACCORD and SDP, jointly submitted Ikenga’s nomination to the Speaker in line with parliamentary procedures under Order 7, Rule 7 of the House Standing Orders, which empowers members of the minority bloc to select their leadership.
A letter conveying the nomination was formally addressed to the Speaker of the House and received by his office on Wednesday.
Some of the lawmakers who reportedly signed the nomination include Hon. Philip Agbese (LP, Benue), Hon. Thaddeus Attah (NDC, Lagos), Hon. Obinna Aguocha (LP, Abia), Hon. Oluwande George (NDC, Lagos), and Hon. Jesse Okey-Joe Onuakalusi (NDC, Lagos).
Others are Hon. Joshua Obika (NDC, FCT), Hon. Gwacham Maureen Chinwe (APGA, Anambra), Hon. Alexanda Ifeanyi Ikwechegh (LP, Abia), and Hon. Onwusibe Ginger Obinna (LP, Abia).
Also on the list are Hon. Sani Yakubu Noma (ADC, Kebbi), Hon. Umar Mukhtar Zakari (NDC, Kano), Hon. Madawaki Dahiru (PDP, Jigawa), Hon. Fola Oyekunle (APM, Oyo), and Hon. Omoruyi Murphy Osaro (NDC, Edo).
The lawmakers, in the nomination letter, expressed confidence in Ikenga’s legislative capacity, citing his sponsorship of over 40 bills, motions and petitions within three years in the House, as well as his prior experience as Senior Special Adviser to the Senate President.
They argued that his selection reflects the collective will of the majority of minority lawmakers, stressing that leadership positions in parliament are determined by internal consensus rather than sentiment, zoning arrangements, or tenure alone.
The group also referenced historical precedents in the National Assembly, noting that past leaders had emerged despite zoning disagreements, including the emergence of former Senate President Bukola Saraki and former Speaker Yakubu Dogara, among others, as examples of parliamentary independence in leadership selection.
According to the lawmakers, the nomination was concluded after broad consultations across party, regional, and ideological lines, adding that harmonisation of remaining minority leadership positions—Deputy Minority Leader and Minority Whip—is ongoing and will be forwarded to the Speaker in due course.
While awaiting formal announcement by the Speaker, the lawmakers expressed optimism that the House leadership would swiftly ratify the decision to ensure full constitution of minority leadership structures for effective legislative engagement.
