Fidelia Soriwei, Abuja
Calls for the removal of House of Representatives Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, have intensified following allegations that he appeared before the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship screening committee in Abuja.
A legal practitioner and political analyst, Chizy Enyi, in a letter dated May 9, 2026, and addressed to the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, urged the leadership of the chamber to immediately relieve Chinda of his position, arguing that his alleged participation in the APC process is incompatible with his role in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Enyi said the development raises questions about Chinda’s political loyalty, insisting that anyone who has joined or participated in the ruling party’s internal processes should not continue to serve as Minority Leader.
He warned that allowing the situation to remain unresolved would undermine parliamentary integrity, adding that Nigerians were closely watching how the matter is handled.
The petition referenced the 2018 resignation of the then Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, who stepped down after defecting from the PDP to the APC, as a precedent for Chinda’s expected exit.
Enyi also questioned the propriety of a situation where the same political party could potentially produce both the Majority and Minority leadership in the National Assembly, describing it as inconsistent with legislative practice.
The letter further described Chinda’s alleged appearance before the APC screening panel while still occupying a senior opposition role as embarrassing to the House of Representatives.
As of the time of filing this report, neither Chinda nor the Speaker’s office had responded to the allegations.
