The main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to the election of minority principal officers of the Federal House of Representatives.
Igbere TV reports that the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila had announced Hon Ndidi Elumelu as minority leader, against the party’s choice candidate.
The development resulted to a rowdy session during Wednesday’s sitting.
In a letter obtained by Igbere TV, the PDP had stated its preference for Kingsley Chinda as Minority Leader, Chukwuka Onyema as Deputy Minority Leader; Yakubu Barde, Minority Whip and Muraina Ajibola, Deputy Minority Whip.
Despite the rowdy session, the speaker went ahead to announce Ndidi Elumelu as Minority Leader, Toby Okechukwu as Deputy Minority Leader, Gideon Gwani as Minority Whip and Adesegun Adekoya as Deputy Minority Whip.
He said the PDP alone cannot determine who lead the minority since there were 9 minority political parties, which prompted him to adopt a letter purportedly signed by 99 members of the 9 minority parties.
Reacting to the development, however, the PDP in a statement sent to Igbere TV on Thursday, said the speaker cannot “impose” leaders on the party.
It maintained that the party leadership had previously notified Gbajabiamila on its choice of leaders, insisting that its adopted list must be followed.
The statement which was signed by PDP’s Spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, read: “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rejects the attempt by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, to impose leaders for our party in the House of Representatives.
“It is instructive to state that the PDP had duly written to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, after consultation with other minority members in the House of Representatives, notifying him of members that have been selected for leadership position in the House of Representatives, in line with dictates of the rules and parliamentary practice.
“However, to our utter dismay, the PDP had discovered that the Speaker attempted to smuggle in names other than those recognized and forwarded to him as the leaders of the Minority in the House of Representatives.
“The PDP, in the strongest terms, cautions against this abuse of rules, parliamentary practices and procedures as well as the convention and we urge the Speaker to respect the rules and read the list submitted to him by the leadership of the PDP.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the list forwarded to the Speaker by the PDP is as follows:
“1. Hon. Kingsley Chinda – Minority Leader
- Hon. Chukwuka Onyema- Deputy Minority Leader
- Hon. Yakubu Barde – Minority Whip,
- Hon. Muraina Ajibola – Deputy Minority Whip.”
