The national headquarters of the party of the NWC has not given any such information or communicated about the choice of offices.
…Chinda is Minority Leader
By Deborah Hassan
365Daily- Hon. Julius Ihonvbere (Edo) has been unveiled as the House Majority Leader.
Also, Rt. Hon. Usman Kumo (Gombe) was announced as the Chief Whip of the House, and Hon. Kingsley Chinda (Rivers) as Minority Leader.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abass disclosed this during plenary on Tuesday while reading letters from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and minority caucus.
Hon. Halims Abdullahi (Kogi State) was announced as the Deputy Majority Leader and Rt. Hon.Oriyomi Onanuga from Ogun, the Deputy Chief Whip.
He further announced Hon. Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers) as the Minority Leader, Hon. Ali Isah (Gombe) Minority Whip, Madaki Aliyu (NNPP, Kano) is the Deputy Minority Leader and George Adegeye (LP, Lagos), Deputy Minority Whip.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, has said that the president of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio and Speaker Abass did not consult with the party before announcing NASS principal officers.
Akpabio had earlier in the day released the names of the principal officers of the Senate.
The National chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, while hosting members of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), distanced the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party from the arrangement.
Addressing the Governors, Adamu lamented that the party had no input in choosing the lawmakers that make up the principal officers of the National Assembly.
He said: “The election of the principal officers of the Senate by the Senate President and Deputy Senate President. The election of the speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives have been determined and announced and their responsibilities.
“The remaining offices will be determined by the two chambers is yet to be done. I had a courtesy call on Saturday from the President of the Senate and his Deputy. The following which was Sunday, I received the visit by the Speaker and his Deputy Speaker coming to me for Sallah homage.
“But, I am just hearing as a rumour now from the online media that there have been some announcements in the Senate and House of Representatives.
“The national headquarters of the party of the NWC has not given any such information or communicated about the choice of offices.
“And until we formally resolve and communicate with them in writing which is the norm and practice, it is not our intention to break away from traditions. So whatever announcement is done either the President of the Senate, Deputy Senate President, Speaker or Deputy Speaker, is not from this secretariat.”