By Nations Curiosity Staff Writer
Abuja, Nigeria | October 5, 2025
The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives will on Monday hold an emergency meeting to deliberate on the lawsuit filed by the embattled Minority Leader, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, seeking to halt his planned removal from office.
A notice of the meeting jointly signed by minority caucus leaders, Hon. Agbedi Frederick (PDP), Hon. Afam Victor Ogene (Labour Party), Hon. Muktar Umar-Zakari (NNPP), and Hon. Peter Uzokwe (YPP) — called on all minority lawmakers to attend.
According to the statement, the meeting will focus on two key issues:
- Response to the lawsuit filed by Hon. Kingsley Chinda.
- Any Other Business (AOB).
Court Restrains House from Removing Chinda
The emergency session follows an interim order by Justice J.O. Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which restrained the House of Representatives from removing Chinda as Minority Leader pending determination of the substantive suit.
The order came after Chinda, who represents Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency of Rivers State, filed an ex parte motion through his counsel, Dr. J.Y. Musa (SAN), on September 16, 2025.
In his application, Chinda alleged that some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members were plotting his removal due to his perceived closeness to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Court Orders Maintenance of Status Quo
Justice Abdulmalik directed all parties to maintain the status quo to avoid actions that could jeopardize the case. She further ordered that all defendants be served immediately with the court processes, stressing that due process and fair hearing, as guaranteed under Section 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution, must be upheld.
Defendants in the case include the National Assembly, the Clerk, the Speaker of the House, and several political parties such as PDP, NNPP, APGA, SDP, ADC, and YPP.
Chinda Cites House Rules and Constitutional Rights
Chinda’s legal team argued that his removal would breach Order 7 Rule 14 of the House Standing Orders (Eleventh Edition), which stipulates that any change in minority leadership must be decided by a majority of minority members with proper notice to the House.
He also stated that since the House is currently on recess, any attempt to change leadership positions would be unlawful.
In his affidavit, Chinda claimed that the move to unseat him was politically motivated and violated his constitutional right to freedom of association under Section 40 of the Constitution.
He further warned that without the court’s intervention, the defendants could act before filing their defence within the 30-day legal period, undermining judicial fairness.
Opposition Lawmakers Weigh Next Steps
The Minority Caucus meeting is expected to determine the next course of action amid growing division within the opposition bloc in the 10th National Assembly.
Political observers believe the outcome could either restore unity or deepen the rift among opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives.