A total of 61 out of the 81 opposition members in the House of Representatives have signed a nomination letter backing Rep. Ugochinyere’s emergence as the new Minority Leader of the House, pending the announcement by the Speaker
A majority of opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives have endorsed Rep. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere as the next Minority Leader, following the vacancy created by the defection of former Minority Leader, Rep. Kingsley Chinda, to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to a statement issued on Wednesday, a total of 61 out of the 81 opposition members in the House signed a nomination letter backing Rep. Ugochinyere, which has been submitted to Speaker Abbas Tajudeen ahead of an expected formal announcement.
The vacancy emerged after Rep. Chinda left the opposition ranks to join the APC, where he subsequently secured the party’s governorship ticket in Rivers State.
Documents sighted by journalists indicate that lawmakers drawn from several opposition parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), National Democratic Congress (NDC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Labour Party (LP), APP, APM, SDP and ACCORD, rallied behind Rep. Ugochinyere as their preferred candidate for the position.
The lawmakers argued that their decision was in line with the House Standing Orders, particularly Order 7, Rule 7 of the revised rule book, which empowers members of the minority caucus to elect their leaders.
According to sources within the opposition bloc, the nomination reflects a broad consensus that cuts across party, regional, ethnic and religious lines.
Lawmakers who spoke on condition of anonymity expressed confidence that the speaker would respect the decision of the majority and announce the new minority leadership in the coming days to ensure the House is fully constituted.
“The minority caucus has spoken with one voice,” one lawmaker said. “The rules are clear that members elect their leaders, and the majority has exercised that right.”
The lawmakers also disclosed that consultations were ongoing regarding other vacant minority leadership positions, including Deputy Minority Leader and Minority Whip. They said one of the positions had already been zoned to the North-West and would be occupied by a member of the NDC, while discussions on the remaining offices were nearing completion.
Explaining their choice, the opposition lawmakers pointed to Ugochinyere‘s legislative performance since joining the House.
According to them, the lawmaker has sponsored and moved more than 40 bills, motions and petitions within three years in the National Assembly. They also cited his previous experience as a Senior Adviser to the Senate President as evidence of his preparedness for the role.
They dismissed concerns over his relatively short tenure in parliament, arguing that legislative leadership positions have historically been occupied by lawmakers with less experience.
As examples, they cited the emergence of Senate President Godswill Akpabio as Senate Minority Leader shortly after entering parliament, as well as past instances where lawmakers elected leaders outside party zoning arrangements.
The lawmakers referenced the elections of former Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, former Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and former Speaker Yakubu Dogara as examples of parliamentary decisions driven by majority support rather than zoning considerations.
“Parliament is governed by numbers and democratic choice, not sentiment,” one of the lawmakers said. “The majority of opposition members have settled for Ikenga, and that decision reflects the will of the caucus.”
Ugochinyere, who represents Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State under the Action People’s Party (APP), has been one of the most vocal opposition lawmakers in the current House.
The endorsement of 61 opposition lawmakers is expected to strengthen his chances of emerging as Minority Leader once the Speaker formally announces the new minority leadership structure.
The names of the 61 opposition federal lawmakers who selected Rep. Ugochinyere as the Minority Leader designate are as follows:
- Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere (Ikeagwuonu O. Ugochinyere) – APP – Imo
- Hon. Aliyu Mustapha Abdullahi – ADC – Kaduna
- Hon. Aniekwe Peter Udogalanya – NDC – Anambra
- Hon. Shehu Dalhatu – PDP – Katsina
- Hon. Aliyu Bappa Misau – APM – Bauchi
- Hon. Matthew Nwogu – APP – Imo
- Hon. Ojo Sunday Makanjuola – APM – Oyo
- Hon. Anthony Adepoju – APM – Oyo
- Hon. Isah Bello Ambarura – ADC – Sokoto
- Hon. Sani Yakubu Noma – ADC – Kebbi
- Hon. Umar Mukhtar Zakari – NDC – Kano
- Hon. Adamu Sani Wakili – NDC – Kano
- Hon. Datti Yusuf Umar – NDC – Kano
- Hon. Abdulhakeem Kamilu Ado – NDC – Kano
- Hon. Philip Agbese – LP – Benue
- Hon. Dahiru Abubakar Sarki – SDP – Nasarawa
- Hon. Thaddeus Attah – NDC – Lagos
- Hon. Gwacham Maureen Chinwe – APGA – Anambra
- Hon. Obinna Aguocha – LP – Abia
- Hon. Nnabuife Chinwe Clara – APGA – Anambra
- Hon. Peter Ifeanyi Uzokwe – NDC – Anambra
- Hon. Emeka Idu Godwin Obiajulu – NDC – Anambra
- Hon. Oyedeji Najimdeen Oyeshina – APM – Oyo
- Hon. Joshua Obika – NDC – FCT
- Hon. Okonkwo Uchenna Harris – NDC – Anambra
- Hon. Oluwande George – NDC – Lagos
- Hon. Jesse Okey-Joe Onuakalusi – NDC – Lagos
- Hon. Oladebo Lanre Omoleye – ACCORD – Osun
- Hon. Mudashiru Lukman Alani – ACCORD – Osun
- Hon. Mani Maishinko Katami – ADC – Sokoto
- Hon. Usman Basiru – ADC – Sokoto
- Hon. Ibe Okwara Osonwa – LP – Abia
- Hon. Alexanda Ifeanyi Ikwechegh – LP – Abia
- Hon. Omoruyi Murphy Osaro – NDC – Edo
- Hon. Aliyu Aminu Garu – APM – Bauchi
- Hon. Auwalu Abdu Gwalabe – APM – Bauchi
- Hon. Hashimu Adamu – APM – Bauchi
- Hon. Akanni Clement Ademola – ACCORD – Osun
- Hon. Adewale Morufu Adebayo – ACCORD – Osun
- Hon. Adetunji Abidemi Olusoji – ACCORD – Osun
- Hon. Okafor Dominic Ifeanyi – APGA – Anambra
- Hon. Onwusibe Ginger Obinna – LP – Abia
- Hon. Zubairu Bashir Usman – ADC – Kaduna
- Hon. Abdulmaleek A. Danga – PDP – Kogi
- Hon. Oluwaseyi Ayopo Sowumi – NDC – Lagos
- Hon. Madawaki Dahiru – PDP – Jigawa
- Hon. Sani Ibrahim Tanko – APM – Bauchi
- Hon. Umar Yusuf Yabo – ADC – Sokoto
- Hon. El-Rufai Mohammed Bello – ADC – Kaduna
- Hon. Ajilo Umar Shehu – ADC – Kaduna
- Hon. Yahaya Suleiman Richifa – ADC – Kaduna
- Hon. Gana Joshua Audu – PDP – Niger
- Hon. Abel David Fuoh – PDP – Taraba
- Hon. Sani Lawal – ADC – Katsina
- Hon. Fola Oyekunle – APM – Oyo
- Hon. Amobi Ogah – LP – Abia
- Hon. Adamu Yakubu – PDP – Jigawa
- Hon. Abdullahi El Rasheed – ADC – Gombe
- Hon. Esosa Iyame – NDC – Edo
- Hon. Bala Rabiu – PDP – Bauchi
- Hon. Abubakar Baba Zango – ADC – Adamawa
Total: 61 signed members
