The House of Representatives has announced Rep. Frederick Agbedi as the new Minority Leader, Rep. Abdulsamad Dasuki as Deputy Minority Leader, and Rep. Manu Soro as Minority Whip, bringing to an end weeks of uncertainty within the opposition caucus
The House of Representatives on Thursday completed the reconstitution of its minority leadership with the emergence of Rep. Frederick Agbedi as the new Minority Leader, Rep. Abdulsamad Dasuki as Deputy Minority Leader, and Rep. Manu Soro as Minority Whip.
Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, announced the new principal officers during plenary after reading a communication from opposition lawmakers in the Tenth Assembly, stating that the appointments were reached by consensus in line with the House Standing Orders.
According to the speaker, the minority caucus unanimously nominated the trio to fill the vacant leadership positions created by a series of defections from opposition parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Reading the letter on the floor of the House, Abbas said, “By virtue of Order Seven, Rule Seven of the Standing Orders, Twelfth Edition of the House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria, the minority members of the Tenth Assembly hereby unanimously nominate the following members by consensus to fill the vacant positions of the minority in the parliament.”
He subsequently announced Rep. Frederick Agbedi (PDP Bayelsa) as Minority Leader, Rep. Manu Soro Mansur (APM Bauchi) as Minority Whip, and Rep. Abdulsamad Dasuki(ADC Sokoto) as Deputy Minority Leader.
Congratulating the new principal officers, the Speaker declared that the leadership structure of the House was now complete.
“Today, the body of principal officers is complete. I want to seize this opportunity, on behalf of the entire House, to congratulate the three members and wish them success in their new responsibilities,” Abbas said.
He assured them of the cooperation of the House leadership in advancing the legislative agenda of the Tenth Assembly.
The appointments bring to an end weeks of uncertainty within the opposition caucus following the depletion of its leadership ranks through defections.
The crisis began after former Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, vacating the position. Earlier, former Deputy Minority Leader Aliyu Sani Madaki had left the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) for the APC, while former Minority Whip Ali Isa also dumped the PDP for the ruling party.
Their exits left Deputy Minority Whip George Ozodinobi as the only remaining member of the minority leadership still representing an opposition party.
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Meanwhile, the Speaker also read a letter from Rep. Ikenga Ugochinyere, who formally withdrew his nomination for the position of Minority Leader.
Ugochinyere‘s aspiration had generated controversy within the House, with some lawmakers challenging his eligibility on the grounds that he is a first-term legislator. The House rules require that anyone seeking to serve as a principal officer must have completed at least one full four-year legislative term.
In the letter, signed on behalf of a group of 60 out of the 82 minority lawmakers, Ugochinyere said his withdrawal became necessary following the recent amendment to the House rules governing qualifications for minority leadership positions.
He stated that although his nomination was made under the existing rules at the time, the subsequent amendment altered the basis upon which it was founded.
“In the interest of preserving the integrity of the institution, demonstrating respect for the authority of the House, and ensuring strict compliance with the amended provisions, I hereby withdraw and relinquish any claim to the position of Minority Leader designate arising from the said nomination,” the letter read.
He added that the decision was taken out of respect for the supremacy of the House Rules and reaffirmed the commitment of the group of 60 lawmakers to the unity of the minority caucus, the stability of the House, and the advancement of democratic and legislative ideals.
The withdrawal paved the way for a fresh consensus arrangement, culminating in the emergence of Agbedi, Dasuki and Soro as the new minority leadership of the House of Representatives.
