The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, has formally resigned from his position and defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaker Abbas Tajudeen announced the resignation and defection during plenary on Tuesday. Chinda had participated in the APC governorship primary in Rivers State without prior public resignation, sparking debate. His resignation letter was dated April 23, 2026. He was not present during the announcement.
Key Points:
Chinda’s defection weakens the PDP’s minority leadership in the House of Representatives.
The APC gains a prominent opposition figure ahead of the 2027 Rivers governorship election.
The delay in formal resignation raised questions about parliamentary ethics and party discipline.
His departure signals a deeper political realignment in Rivers State politics.
The PDP must now nominate a new minority leader to fill the vacancy.
The PDP caucus in the House will begin consultations to choose a successor, while Chinda focuses on his APC governorship bid.
Sources: Premium Times
