In the wake of the raging crisis rocking the leading opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), though with a semblance of calm at the moment, there was a dramatic twist from its members in the House of Representatives last week. JOSHUA EGBODO writes on the discordance.
Emergence of the Minority vs PDP caucus leadership
Way back just after inauguration of the current (9th) assembly of the House of Representatives, the tussle for opposition leadership began, with Kingsley Chinda, Chukwuka Onyema and others favoured by the leading opposition political party, the PDP to take mantle of leadership of the opposition. However, in what many saw as a grand plan by the newly elected speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila fully backed by his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), to plant their ‘stooges’ and ensure a rancour-free house, Ndudi Elumelu and others were dramatically named to form the minority leadership.
Since the naming of the minority leadership by the speaker, Chinda had continued to parade himself as leader of the PDP Caucus in the House. He was at a point threatened by the speaker as leading a parallel minority leadership, but the Rivers lawmaker stood his grounds, defending his position as leader of the PDP caucus, and not the for the minority as recognised by the house.
When back in session Tuesday July 2, 2019, after the new assembly was inaugurated on June 11, all was seen to be normal until signs emerged that there were issues with the appointment of the remaining principal officers. It was widely assumed that the House on resumption would, through the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, announce the remaining principal officers, as was done in the Senate. However, this was not the case. Beside the positions of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, which were filled at the inauguration session by Gbajabiamila and Idris Wase respectively, the other offices which waited to be filled then were those of the Majority Leader, the Minority Leader, Chief Whip, Minority Whip, Deputy Majority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader, Deputy Whip and the Minority Whip.
There were speculations then, that the announcement was being delayed following disagreements within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), over who should be appointed. On the majority leadership position specifically, there were reports that the then National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomole, and Kano state governor, Abdulahi Ganduje were bickering over who should be appointed to the post.
A glaring issue
At the plenary of the House the following day, the brewing issues were openly ignited. Deep into the session, Gbajabiamila attempted to make announcement of the minority principal officers, but he was interrupted by Hon. Kingsley Chinda in a move that suggested a foreknowledge of the names on the list before speaker Gbajabiamila.
The lawmaker raised a point of order, and reminded Gbajabiamila that there was need for him to abide by a list already sent by the leading opposition political party, the PDP as the mode of selection of the names therein had complied with the House’s standing orders, Order 7, Rule 8. PDP in its communication to the speaker had named Chinda as Minority Leader, Chukwuka Onyema as Deputy Minority Leader, Yakubu Barde as Minority Whip, and Ajibola Muraina as Deputy Minority Whip. However, the list before Gbajabiamila, which was later made public as the one “from the conglomeration of all the minority political parties in the House” had Ndudi Elumelu, Toby Okechukwu, Gideon Gwani and Adekoya Adesegun for those positions in that respective order.
Plenary of the House later turned chaotic as the disagreement raged. Some members attempted to snatch the mace, as others moved to prevent them. The session was momentarily disrupted, after which Gbajabiamila was urged by some of his colleagues to continue with the announcement. He subsequently announced the group led by Elumelu as the minority principal officers of the House.
Two sets of minority leadership
Two opposing groups of minority principal officers emerged, and held on to the right of office. Chinda who was ruled out of order by Gbajabiamila during the session insisted that Gbajabiamila’s action was an imposition on the minority caucus. Speaking after the rowdy plenary, Chinda explained that “We speak to you as members of the minority caucus in the House of Representatives…The issues are that of minority leadership. It is standard parliamentary practice, that parliament minority leadership comes from among the minority parties and a correspondence is always sent….In our case, that was followed. The PDP in discussion with other minority parties agreed on her leadership in parliament. And forwarded a letter to Mr Speaker dated June 21, 2019. A copy of the letter was received on June 26 in the office of the Speaker.
“We came today only to hear our dear speaker attempting to read what he termed as correspondence from a conglomeration of political parties. That some honourable members have endorsed some other persons as minority leaders outside what was forwarded to him. And that he would want to adopt that.
“We must do things properly. We are members of the minority parties. Our leadership will not be determined by the majority party. We are aware of the scheming of the APC that the target is to decimate the minority party in parliament and that they will decide who becomes minority leader. We will not allow that to happen. We stand on the letter from the party. As far we are concerned, our leaders have been selected and appointed by the party. It is only for the Speaker to read the correspondence that he has. We don’t have any issue with our leadership”.
Immediately after, Elumelu also with a group of supporters appeared to state their own position before journalists covering the House. According to him, “We are here to speak to Nigerians and also to reaffirm the newly appointed minority leaders of this Green Chamber (House of Representatives). Graciously, God has made it that my colleagues from nine minority parties have nominated me as their minority leader. We are all from nine political parties.
“For us who are from PDP we are very loyal to PDP. We believe in PDP. And of course we have no other party than the PDP and we have followed what has happened and have accepted our nomination based on Order 7 Rule 8. We have complied with the position of the rule of the House”, he had insisted.
Elumelu, 6 others suspended
While the drama lasts, the PDP slammed an indefinite suspension on Elumelu and six others. Suspended with him by the PDP were Hon. Wole Oke, Hon. Lynda Ikpeazu, Hon. Anayo Edwin, Hon. Gideon Gwani, Hon. Toby Okechukwu and Hon. Adekoya Addul-Majid. The lawmakers were accused of leading a rebellion against the party. They were later pardoned, and the move was celebrated by the affected members.
A reawakened rivalry?
With the crisis doused, and a seeming order restored and Elumelu fully recognised as the minority leader, and Chinda holding on to his position as leader of the PDP caucus, a development ensued recently between the duo over the raging leadership crisis in the PDP, sparking speculations that the age-long disunity within the leading opposition party may still be in force in the House.
Chinda after a reported virtual meeting of members of his group, offered some resolutions as a position of the team. “Members of the PDP House of Reps caucus met and deliberated extensively on various aspects of concern being expressed by members of the party across the federation. Specifically, on the current charge of inept leadership against our national Chairman (Prince Uche Secondus)…
“Whereas members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and millions of Nigerians nationwide anticipate vigorous and well coordinated issue-based national opposition; preparations towards a national convention as well as the 2023 general elections, much confusion, finger-pointing and needless noise around the party’s national headquarters have obfuscated the noble objectives and lofty ideals of the PDP and democratic opposition politics in Nigeria, the group said and concluded that Secondus should resign as chairman of the party”, the group stated. However, Elumelu as minority leader of the House reacted swiftly, denying any meeting where such a decision may have been reached.
In a statement to that effect Elumelu said, “attention of the Minority Caucus, particularly, members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the House of Representatives, has been drawn to news reports purporting to be the intervention and outcome of an online meeting of the PDP Caucus in the House regarding the current leadership challenge within the party. If such a meeting held, it was without the knowledge of the leadership of the Minority Caucus, and therefore, in breach of established procedures.
“Meanwhile, we are working in concert with organs of the party to ensure sustainable resolution of the current challenges that will be in the overall interest of the party and Nigerians. We appeal to all party faithful, particularly, PDP members in the House of Representatives, to exercise caution and patience as the party addresses the present leadership challenges”.
In whose interest?
The development has left a lot of analysts in bewilderment as to in whose interest the two elements may be acting. Only time will tell as political activities assume crescendo in the build up to the 2023 general elections.
