The crisis rocking the minority caucus of the House of Representatives has shown no signs of abating, despite Speaker Tajudeen Abbas’ intervention, opposition lawmakers told Sunday Punch.
Weeks after moves began to unseat the Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, over alleged failure to provide a strong opposition to the All Progressives Congress-led House, the tension remains unresolved.
Chinda, who represents Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency in Rivers State, had approached the Federal High Court, Abuja, seeking to halt the plot to remove him, alleging that the move was politically motivated and tied to his closeness with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
But his resort to litigation angered many caucus members, who met in Abuja to chart the next line of action.
At the meeting, Speaker Abbas appealed for calm, urging the aggrieved lawmakers to allow him time to mediate.
However, a caucus member who spoke anonymously with Punch said the intervention had only delayed, not stopped, Chinda’s possible removal.
“The meeting held, but it’s still early in the day. The truth is that members are not happy. We’re only watching to see what will change. If there are no changes, the agitation to remove Hon. Chinda will return,” the lawmaker said.
He added, “The Speaker is not a member of the opposition caucus, and that’s why some of us believe nothing will change.”
On whether Chinda had withdrawn the case in court as promised, the lawmaker explained, “We’ve already joined issues with him in court. He hasn’t withdrawn the suit yet. I heard he would only do so when he is convinced that peace has returned.”
Another caucus member, also speaking on condition of anonymity “out of respect for Mr Speaker,” doubted Chinda’s chances of regaining the confidence of opposition lawmakers.
“I do not see how the Minority Leader can win back the caucus. He’s a capable leader, but his closeness to the FCT Minister has become a stumbling block. If that relationship prevents him from standing up for the opposition, should we keep quiet and let things continue like this?” he queried.
Chinda and the Deputy Minority Whip, George Ozodinobi, remain at the centre of the controversy.
Ozodinobi recently came under fire after a viral video showed him boasting of attracting ₦19 billion worth of projects in a budget believed to be the 2024 Appropriation Act. Some lawmakers described the remarks as proof of undue financial influence on the caucus leadership.
Ozodinobi has yet to respond publicly to the allegation.
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