JUST IN: Chinda Defies Gbajabiamila, Takes Minority Leader Seat

Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers) on Thursday morning proceeded to take the seat reserved for the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives despite yesterday’s declaration of Ndudi Elumelu (PDP, Delta) for the same position by Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila.

ORIENTAL TIMES reports that Elumelu was yesterday name the Minority Leader of the House amidst protests by the Chinda group, which vowed to upturn the decision.

The Speaker who arrived the chamber at 12:10pm for the commencement of the business of the day, however, approved the votes and proceedings of the previous day against Chinda’s disrupting points of order.

The implication of the approval was that Elumelu’s election has been upheld.

According to the Speaker, Chinda’s point of order would not be recognized so long as “he continues to occupy a seat not allocated to him,” in reference to the Minority Leader’s seat.

As at the time of filing this report, the House proceedings are underway with occasional disruptions by Chinda’s group, which point to simmering tensions over the minority leadership in question.