By George OPARA
The House of Representatives officially confirmed on Tuesday that Kingsley Chinda has stepped down as Minority Leader and left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaker Tajudeen Abbas made the announcement on the floor of the House as lawmakers returned from a four-week recess. The break had allowed legislators to participate in party primaries ahead of the 2027 elections.
Chinda, who recently emerged as the APC governorship candidate for Rivers State, had been under mounting pressure to clarify his political status after taking part in the ruling party’s primary without resigning his PDP membership or his leadership post.
His resignation letter, which took effect on April 23, was addressed to the Speaker. In it, Chinda thanked his colleagues for their support and described his time as minority leader as a profound honour. He said he remained committed to his duties as a lawmaker and to the legislative work of the House.
Chinda was not present when his resignation was announced on Tuesday.
The controversy had simmered for weeks. Political observers questioned whether Chinda could legitimately continue to serve as the leader of the opposition caucus while participating in the APC governorship primary.
House spokesman Akin Rotimi had earlier defended Chinda, explaining that the lawmaker submitted his resignation before the recess. Rotimi noted that neither the Constitution nor House rules require such resignations to be read on the floor. He described the practice of public announcements as tradition rather than legal obligation.
With Chinda’s departure, the PDP caucus in the House must now elect a new minority leader. His exit marks a major political shift ahead of the 2027 elections and reflects the broader realignment taking place in Rivers State politics, where several key figures have recently moved to the APC.
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