By Orkula Shaagee, Abuja
Some members of the House of Representatives have thrown their weight behind the nomination of Ndudi Elumelu as the new Minority Leader, saying the nomination was based on the House Standing Rules and the 1999 Constitution.
Reacting to the controversy that followed Elumelu’s nomination on Wednesday, Leke Joseph (ADC, Kogi) said the minority leadership in the House “is not just for PDP alone but for all minority parties.”
Similarly, Anthony Ibezim (APGA, Anambra) and Uju Kingsley (AA, Imo) said the choice of Elumelu as Minority Leader was in line with the position of the leadership of their various political parties.
“We decided to unanimously elect Elumelu and other minority officials to drive the business of the House in the next four years. That’s the decision of our parties and we have no regrets whatsoever.”
On the position of the 9th House of Representatives on the matter, Yusuf Gandi (APC, Plateau) and Bamidele Salam (PDP, who briefed journalists on behalf of the House ad hoc Committee on Media, said the lawmakers had adopted the names of the minority leadership as announced by the Speaker.
“On behalf of the ad hoc Committee on Media, we wish to issue statements over what happened at plenary today.
“Mr. Speaker received communication from members of the minority parties, which contained 99 signatures, and relied on Order 7 Rule 8 of the House Standing Rule, to announce the minority leadership thus: Ndudi Elumelu, Majority Leader; Toby Okechukwu, Deputy Majority Leader; Gideon Goni, Chief Whip; and Adesegun Adekola, Deputy Minority Whip,” the committee announced.
There was rowdy session on Wednesday in the House of Representatives as two groups of opposition lawmakers claimed minority leadership of the 9th House after the announcement of Ndudi Elumelu ( PDP, Delta); Toby Okechukwu (PDP, Enugu); Gideon Goni (PDP, Kaduna); and Adesegun Adekola (PDP, Ogun) as the House Minority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader; Minority Whip and Deputy Minority Whip respectively.
